Main RMI Number
408-554-4960
SCU - St. Joseph's Hall
Room # 108
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Retail Management Institute Newsletter - Fall '05
Up Close and Personal with SCU/RMI Alum Michael Osorio '84
SCU/RMI Alum - Michael Osorio '84 - managing director, North America, DFS Group.
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1. What made you choose this profession? Was there a certain aspect of this field that particularly sparked your interest, or was there a mentor or family member who led you into the retail industry, or was it something entirely different?
I was working for Longs Drug Stores while attending Santa Clara and Longs was a part of the RMI at the time. I joined the RMI thinking that I might want to continue with Longs after I graduated and that this might give me an advantage. Retail was just one option I was considering at the time. I joined the RMI in my sophomore year. I enjoyed the curriculum and was beginning to think retail might be a strong choice. The deciding factor was my internship. I interned with Macy's and absolutely loved the experience. Not only did it solidify my decision to pursue retail, it made me focus on pursuing that career at Macy's. The strongest reason I chose retail over other business careers was its sheer variety. Retail offers all aspects of business: marketing, management, finance, logistics, etc. It is this variety that sparked my interest, and continues to keep me in the industry to this day.
2. How did you get started in retail, and where has it taken you along your career path?
As stated above, I worked for Longs in college, and then transitioned to Macy's through my internship. I stayed on with Macy's in a variety of part-time leadership positions until I graduated. I then joined their executive training program. My career path at Macy's moved back and forth between store-line positions and buying office positions, culminating in my promotion to buyer, fine watches during my fourth year with them. I was then recruited by Gottschalks. I joined them as an assistant store manager. I was promoted to store manager after about a year and opened three new stores for them over a nine-year period. In 1997 I was promoted to vice president, regional director of stores. I was in this position for about seven years. I was then recruited by DFS Group and joined them this last January as managing director for North America.
3. How would you define your role in this company?
The North America division operates all DFS locations on the U.S. mainland and is primarily an airport business. The managing director is responsible for the strategic direction of the division and works in conjunction with the group president to identify and analyze business and investment opportunities. The managing director is accountable for the P&L of the North America division and develops strategies that enable the division to meet its key financial targets of operating income and sales. Critical to the success of the managing director responsibility is the development of sound business relationships with airport and other government officials responsible for these operations.
4. What is your educational background and how has it played into your position in this company?
I have a bachelors of science in marketing and a certificate from the RMI. I utilize the foundation of my Santa Clara education often in my approach to problem solving and business/people development.
5. What does a normal day entail for you? What would you say are the highlights of your day?
At DFS, travel is a big part of the job. I travel three to four days a week on average, either visiting shop locations or traveling to division, group, or worldwide meetings. When not traveling, I am in my office in San Francisco. While there, I meet with the San Francisco-based merchant and planning executives as well as my divisional team (HR, Finance, Merchandising, and Marketing). The highlights of any given day are when I see the successful conclusions of my or my team's efforts, be they people, sales, or profit driven.
6. What made you choose to work for this company versus the abundant other retailers out there?
DFS offers a unique environment —luxury retail sales combined with the complexities of travel retail: reliance on passenger flows, relationships with governmental and airport entities, joint venture partners, etc. In addition, the worldwide nature of DFS offers opportunities not found in traditional domestic retailers.
7. Which qualities or characteristics, do you think, are important in order to hold your position?
Action oriented, business acumen, dealing with ambiguity, conflict management, customer focus, timely decision making, innovation management, negotiating, organizational agility, priority setting, problem solving, managing vision and purpose, drive for results.
8. What are the qualities of retail you enjoy the most?
Fast-paced environment, variety of challenges, people focus.
9. What would you say to someone who was interested in a similar profession or field?
Retail is an industry that requires individuals with a love of both business and people. For anyone who has these two passions, and who wants a career with variety, fast pace, and a high-expectations environment, retail is an excellent choice.
10. How did your education at Santa Clara and particularly your experience with RMI play into your life in the retail world?
Santa Clara does an excellent job of providing students with both a philosophical foundation of learning, combined with practical real-world exposure. This ensures a balanced perspective as the student enters the workforce. RMI takes this strategy and amplifies it for the retail arena, particularly through the internship but also through the quality of the faculty and the various industry speakers that come to campus events. .
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Back to Newsletter -Fall '05
Retail Management Institute - Santa Clara University
rmi.scu.edu
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