My name is Arthur Kroese. My wife’s name is Jennifer. We have two children together and their names are Cassandra and Derek. We reside in Lakeville Massachusetts. My interests are exercising and going to the beach. I love spending time with my family and I live for my kids Saturday morning soccer games.

Professionally I am an Assistant Store Manager for Roche Bros. I have been with Roche Bros. for thirteen years. My job as an assistant Store Manager is to provide a clean store, in a friendly atmosphere, serving high quality food, with efficient service to make the customers shopping experience pleasant.

ILP: Business Plan for a Small Size Market

For my ILP I have decided to do business plan for a small size market. The business plan will prove that an alternative style format is a viable approach to sell food. Opening smaller stores and calling them Neighborhood Markets is an innovative approach to stay competitive or even enter the supermarket industry. Neighborhood Markets are bigger than a convenience store but smaller than a supermarket. Locations become more feasible, start up costs is less and the overhead is greatly cheaper.

Companies such as Trader Joes, Fresh market, Tesco Company and Big Y are using the neighborhood market format.
The goal of my ILP is to present it to the owners of Roche Bros. Currently Roche Bros. has eighteen stores. The company has been challenged finding profitable locations suitable for a supermarket. I truly believe the alternative format will help Roche Bros. grow. The company could put stores in towns that they have always thought were out of reach. Towns such as Dover, Wayland, Newton and Hingham would be a possibility. Hopefully the company will find my ILP appealing.

I currently have an Associates Degree in Business Administration, and am currently pursuing a Masters of Management Degree in Management, with an anticipated graduation date of June, 2008.

I have been in the retail Supermarket business off and on since 1968. I currently work for Roche Brothers Supermarkets and hold the position of Deli/Seafood department Manager.

Served in the United States Army National Guard for 33 years and retired as a Command Sargent Major.

ILP
My ILP Topic is of Corporate Governance and CEO compensation, a topic which has sparked my interest and led to many hours of interesting research.

I am currently working for Roche Brothers Supermarket, where I have been employed for the past Thirteen years. I started out as a sales clerk in the produce department, waiting for a position to open up in the hot foods department. After just two years with the company, an assistant manager position opened up in the hot foods department. I applied for the position, and was subsequently hired. I held the position for two years, before being promoted to senior manager of the department. My work history prior to Roche Bros. included seventeen years as head chef at a family owned restaurant, this coupled with a degree in culinary arts school, provided me with the advantage needed to move up in the company as quickly and efficiently as I have. I meet all the qualifications of store manager, and have been given the responsibility of acting night manager on several occasions. I intend to continue to grow within the company, perhaps being promoted to store manager in the future.

I am married and have been since the age of 19. When I met her, my wife was recently divorced and already the mother of three young girls, ages five, three and eighteen months. We married in 1983, followed by the birth of our first son, and my adoption of the three girls. Our second son was born in 1989. We raised our five kids in Whitman in same house my wife grew up in, which we eventually purchased in 1987. Nearly 25 years later, we are still living in the home, completely renovated, and now echoing with the sounds of our seven grandchildren with two more on the way.

While my kids were young, I held down two jobs to help support the family. I put in full time hours as head chef at a local family restaurant, where my wife worked as a waitress, and continues to today. I also volunteered part time as a firefighter for my home town. My intentions at the time were to one day make it on the department fulltime. One major requirement for becoming a fulltime firefighter is to become a licensed paramedic, one step up for the EMT License I already held, but the schooling to become a paramedic required both time and money that we simply did not have. I managed to juggle the two for ten years, before realizing my goals of becoming a full time firefighter was not feasible at that point in my life. I quit the fire department after ten years, it saddened me to leave that line of work, but I needed to move on to a bigger company to make the money required to support my familys’ needs.
I continued to contribute to my town in other ways, while also staying closely involved in each of my kids’ lives. I was very much involved in the town athletics, giving my time for over twenty five years. This included helping out with cross country/track teams, coaching baseball and softball, and serving as the director of girl’s softball for two years during that time.

I was involved with the Boy Scout organization for several years. Quitting the department was a pivotal move in my career, in a sense it closed the door to a chapter of my life. My dream of becoming a firefighter had been lost, but I no longer had to divide my focus in the work force. Being employed by a corporation brought opportunities that do not exist in small town restaurants. The benefits were better, the money was better, and most importantly, there was far more room for growth. I took full advantage of all of these things. I attended classes and meetings, I was no longer just a chef, I was becoming more involved in the business side of things.

Now that my family has grown, and I am able to devote my time to other areas of my life, I have decided to start by going back to school and furthering my career. I did very well in high school finishing in the top ten percent of my class. I am constantly looking for ways to better myself and my career. A degree in business management would no doubt give me opportunities and advantages needed to climb higher on the ladder of success.

My ILP will show the need for emergency planning and coordination in the event of a natural disaster or mass pandemic. The need for a data base for Roche Brothers employees is the first step in emergency planning. This one step will help provide for the safety of employees and to continue in keeping customer service a number one priority. The events of a natural disaster or mass pandemic have many effects on businesses and organizations. Workforce’s ability to staff stores is the main issue in a major catastrophe and the reality that forty percent of employees will be affected in one way or another. The tragic events of 9/11 have taught us how quickly the world is changing. This study is focused on planning and coordination and the many issues involved. Successful companies will survive with the changing times one step at a time.

The reason I chose this subject was a need. I saw there was currently no plan in place in my company. In my career with Roche Brothers I’ve been through many winter storms, hurricanes and blizzards. I had to drive by many Roche Brother’s stores to get to my store in many storms and emergencies. I believe there has to be a better way to deploy key employees to stores closer to their homes in the event of a natural disaster or mass pandemic insuring the safety of employees also allowing Roche Brothers to stay up and running.

I live in Hopkinton, work for Roche Bros, meat dept. manager at Sudbury Farms in Sudbury, I've worked for Roche for 13 years. I'm a volunteer Court Mediator for Framingham Court Mediation Services and have been doing that for 17 years.

ILP: Feasibility Study on starting and operating a Handyman Service.

Why I choose this topic
1. To get away from the food industry, which I have work for 34 years.

2. I enjoy doing projects around the house, I have done a number of improvements to my home. I hope to one day get involved in Real Estate, possibility flipping houses.

I have been working in the supermarket industry for almost ten years. However, my past profession for over twenty six years was as a registered nurse in the health care industry. My medical background filters into my present job as I help consumers select healthy food products (low in salt, cholesterol, allergy free and low in carbohydrates).

Consumers are becoming more and more health conscious and asking more questions about products, ingredients, and assistance in selecting healthy products. Therefore
I have been exploring and researching different health issues and how food products are changing to meet the consumer demands.

ILP - Changes within Supermarkets due to Rising Health Concerns
My plan is to research four local Massachusetts supermarkets and explore the changes that are being made due to consumer health issues. Health care issues have always been of concern to me and as consumers become more aware of their health issues the role of diet and food choices is a major factor.

As a result many supermarkets are making changes to offer more consumer education and healthier products. My research will show how four supermarkets have made changes and introduced healthier products to consumers.

Joe Curtin is the Director of Recruiting, Training and Development for Roche Bros. Supermarkets, based in Wellesley, Mass. He has been employed at Roche Bros. for 34 years, starting as a bagger in the West Roxbury store. He worked at the store part-time as he attended Boston Latin School and Boston College.

After school he joined the United States Marine Corps. After his service in the Marine Corps, he returned to Roche Bros., rising through the ranks as a Department Manager, Store Manager, Personnel Recruiter, to his present job as Director of Recruiting, Training and Development.

Joe has been a resident of Wellesley for almost 24 years. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce, the HR/TD Committee for the Food Marketing Institute and is a former board member of the New England Food Foundation. He also does volunteer work for Junior Achievement programs in Massachusetts.

Joe's interests include world travel, acting and pursuing his Masters degree at Cambridge College.

ILP Topic - Feasability Study/Bikram Yoga Studio

I selected a Feasability Study on opening a Bikram Yoga Studio as my ILP subject. Bikram Yoga (similar to Hot Yoga ) is a ninety minute yoga session with 26 postures and two breathing exercises performed in a room heated to 105 degrees. The health benefits attributed to Bikram include stress relief, weight loss, reduction of insulin levels for Diabetics, relief of arthritis pain, back, knee and joint pain and even insomnia.

As a Diabetic, I’ve been able to reduce the amount of insulin needed daily by practicing Bikram Yoga on a regular basis (4-6 times per week), while also losing twenty pounds and reducing my waist size from 32 inches to 30 inches. My ILP will review the health benefits of Bikram and also focus on a business and marketing plan to open a studio and form partnerships with hospitals using Bikram yoga to treat patients.

I chose this topic after a conversation with Sharon Wolf who stressed that we should write on a subject that interests us. I had another topic in mind, but after thinking about it for a few days, I decided to follow Sharon’s advice and write on a subject that fascinates me. Bikram Yoga has helped to change my life by reducing my insulin levels and helping me to achieve the fitness level of a thirty year old. It is a pleasure for me to do research on this subject.

I was born in Liverpool England 50 years ago. I currently reside in Quincy, Mass with my wife of 29 years. I have three wonderful children. Michael, Christina, and Craig. I am also blessed with 2 wonderful Grandsons. I am employed with Roche Brothers Supermarket as an Assistant Store Manager in the Sudbury store. I enjoy running the Falmouth Road Race, and playing soccer in an over 30 league.ILP - The feasability of a Catering Function Facility

I have a passion for for catering. My prior position before returning to the stores as a Assistant Store Manager with Roche Brothers was Catering director for all 18 stores. We offer full off site catering from small business meetings to Weddings.

ILP
Many customers are loking for a upscale facility to hold their functions. There is definetely a need for such a building. I will present my completed ILP to the owners of Roche Brothers. Hopefully they will have the same feelings that I have. If not there is a possibility I could pursue as a seperate business venture for myself.

I am currently employed by Roche Brothers. I work in the kitchen in the Millis store. I have worked for Roche for 6 years. I have been a kitchen manager in the past. I have recently stepped down due to personal reasons. I have graduated from Johnson and Whales with an associates degree in culinary arts. I am an avid billiards player. I also collect Legos.

ILP Topic
I chose a B & B for my ILP because I want to retire into one in Pennsylvania. I love the peaceful ambiance of the area outside of Gettysburg.

I'm currently in my 33rd year with Roche Bros. / Sudbury Farms Supermarkets, where I began working in high school. I enrolled at Cambridge College two years ago wishing to fulfill a degree and rounding off my professional skills.

ILP Topic - Dr. Robbin's Riding Rub - Miles of Smiles in Every Tube

Dr. Robbin's is an athletic gel designed with long distance cyclists, triathletes, and runners in mind to aid in the prevenion of chafing that occurs during these specific sporting events. One of Dr. Robbin's goals, in addition to operating a profitable business venture, is to be able to donate a percentage of annual proceeds to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to help with the funding necessary to find a cure for cancer.

With a bit of hard work and persistance, I hope to have a Cambridge College class reunion somewhere tropical where Joe Curtin will serve me and Sharon Wulf Pina Colada's in a coconut with a side of fresh fruit!