Family-owned and operated Stew Leonard's announced that Nicole Weiss has been named vice president of its farm-fresh food store in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Weiss, who has been with the company for 34 years, is the first woman to hold this position. In her new role, she will oversee more than 550 team members as well as the day-to-day operations of Stew Leonard's Norwalk store.
“Nicole started working for my brother Tommy at our Danbury store in 1988 when it was just a tent,” said Stew Leonard, Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard's, in a statement. “She held the first kids' birthday parties for Stew Leonard's and, later, the first character breakfast events. A few years ago, she became the first female sales director and now she's the first woman to be vice president of a Stew Leonard's store. As the father of four daughters, I am thrilled. My family and I are confident that Nicole will excel in her new position.”
“One of my favorite parts of my job is growing team members and helping them achieve their goals at Stew's,” noted Weiss, in a statement. “I am so happy to be in Norwalk, and I look forward to continuing to build our team.”
Stew Leonard's is a family affair for Weiss, specifically at the Danbury location. She not only met her husband, chef Art Weiss, at the location, but her father, Anthony Manca, was a member of the construction team while her mother, Dolores Manca, ran the birthday parties. Her sons Thomas Petrellese and Connor Weiss have both worked at the Danbury store as cashiers, while daughter Alexa Petrellese worked in customer service. Stepson Steven Weiss worked in the garden center and stepdaughter Megan Weiss worked in the Hoedown.
Weiss's previous role as sales director for Stew Leonard's in Norwalk has been filled by Irwin Paltoo, who has been with Stew Leonard's since 2007.
Related: Study: Inclusion is Key to Curb Exodus of Female Employees; Stew Leonard's Launches Ecommerce Platform.