JOANNE WALLS RETIRES FROM SHOPRITE

 

  "Losing Joanne ... she is irreplaceable," Liberty ShopRite Manager Kevin Perino remarked when asked what his overall feelings were about losing Joanne Walls at Joanne's retirement party June 1 following 40-years of employment.

  "She has been a remarkable associate, excellent human being and driven with passion, focus and intensity and she will be deeply missed," Perino noted. 

  Perino added that "Joanne was responsible for the commercial bakery business in our store and she drove the business to be the best commercial bake business in the entire company."

  "Its an honor to work with her,on and off, for the past 10 years....it been great," Perino added.

  Retired store manager John Rogan who worked with Joanne for 20 years had high praise for her saying "she always did a great job and she is a great person."

  Rogan noted that "Joanne when asked to take over the new Computer Generated Ordering (C.G.O.) program when it was introduced did so with the great attitude she always possessed." Joanne ran that department for 16 years.

  Born in Brooklyn in 1952, Joanne Walls is the daughter of the late Rose and Charlie Walls. She was raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn where she attended Canarsie High School.

  Employment by ShopRite in the Liberty store started on April 25, 1978 and on May 10 she became the Health & Beauty clerk and helped set up the shelves and displays for the grand opening June 4.

  After her first year she became a grocery clerk and moved on to  became the commercial bread clerk until the year 2000 and was No. 1 in sales for many years.

  In 2000 the company went to computer ordering and  Joanne was chosen to run that department and held that title until 2016. 

  Since 2016 she has worked mostly grocery departments but also worked in other area's as needed. 

  Joanne also held the title of Union Shop Steward since 1979 and sat in on all union negotiations in all the years employed. She was a union executive board member for Local 1776 for 12 years. 

  Family members attending the retirement party included sister Rose Walls, brother Ronald Walls, niece Kristi Walls Hewlett and her husband Ronald Hewlett III and great nephew Oliver Pagliaro.

   Not only did Joanne receive congratulatory and best wishes remarks and telephone calls from ShopRite officials like Brett Wing, the president of the company and the former president Dave Figorelli but from many of the store customers who she enjoyed sharing time together on her official retirement day.

  Management officials Michael Martin, Garry Stevens and Rich Martin were there for Joanne's retirement day to show their appreciation of what Joanne has meant to the company. Michael and Rich previously held roles in management at the Liberty store and currently Michael is the District Manager for the Albany Region, Garry is Vice President of Merchandising and Rich is the District Manager for the Liberty store and eleven other stores in Orange, Sullivan and Sussex (NJ) counties.

  Joanne also was the recipient of a letter from ShopRite employee and good friend Duke Charter who noted that he has "known Joanne since the early 70's when we worked together at Sullivan's Department store." Duke said that Joanne then went to work at ShopRite and encouraged him to apply there. He did and they became co-workers.

  Charter expressed his thoughts about Joanne calling her, "a dedicated and compassionate friend and worker and she will be missed and I will always remember you."

  ShopRite has not dominated all of Joanne's lifestyle as she is also a popular member of the Sullivan County Women's Softball League where she is the longtime captain of the Charlies Angel's

softball team (named in memory of her dad, Charlie Walls) who was a popular fan and well-liked for his friendly attitude with softball players throughout the league.

  Joanne has played softball since 1976 when teams played in the Liberty Women's Sofball League and in her younger years played short stop but now she pitches the arch ball in the slo-pitch league.  

  The "Cow Bell" Charlies Angel's team for years has been like family as they enjoy outings and dinner together frequently. 

  Very close friendships were part of this team who for years won league championships.

  Parting remarks by Joanne at her retirement party included her saying, "great career at ShopRite, so many good employees and of course my customers."

  "To all my co-workers, friends and family I want to say I'm overwhelmed and I look around this room today and see the strength in this room, the strength of all the people I've worked with... and we could run one heck of a store....but I would be the boss."

  "Thank you all who have made my 40 years so memorable," Joanne added. 

  She posted the following sign on her former office door, "The Legend has officially retired, if you want to talk you will be charged a consulting fee."

 

 

 

 

Joanna Walls standing next to the ShopRite brand bread isle that she managed.

 

 

 

Former Liberty ShopRite manager John Rogan with Joanne Walls. They worked together for 20 years and he had Joanne take over the Computer Generated Ordering program.  

 

 

    Family in attendance at Joanne Walls retirement party included, front row seated l to r, Rose Walls, Joanne, back row, l to r, Kristi Walls Hewlett, Ronald Walls, and Ronald Hewlett III holding Oliver Pagliano.

 

 

Corporate office management attending Joanne Walls retirement party includes, left to right, Michael Martin, (Joanne), Gary Stevens and Rich Martin. Michael and Rich previously held roles of management in the Liberty store. Currently Michael is the District Manager for the Albany Region, Garry is Vice President of Merchandising and Rich is the District Manager for the Liberty store and 11 over stores in Orange, Sullivan and Sussex (NJ) counties. 

 

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM JOANNE'S RETIREMENT PARTY