A few days before Christmas, retail supervisor Nevin Sandau was cleaning up his store in Anchorage, Alaska. He noticed a vintage Spider-Man wallet in the lost and found bin. Curious about finding the wallet’s owner, he opened it to see what was inside.
“There was $45 dollars in cash, a Christmas list and a baseball photo of a boy with tiny plastic glasses on,” Nevin said.
He took the photo out, flipped it over and found the boy’s name and a phone number.
Shatae Belajac has always been involved in her community. An Assistant Sales Manager out of Pittsburgh, PA, Belajac is no stranger to doing community outreach through Best Buy. She has worked with Make-A-Wish Foundation, and has also been a St. Jude ambassador for the past six years, sharing stories and keeping her district updated on all their efforts.
So, when she heard about University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a local hospital whose pediatric burn unit usually does not get toy donations for their patients – she sprung right into action.
Pictured above (left to right): Best Buy employees Saraphina Scott, Che Jim and Tracy Brown.
This month, Best Buy is proud to celebrate Native American Heritage Month alongside our employees and customers.
It’s an opportunity to recognize and share the history, culture, traditions and contributions of Indigenous people. They comprise a rich and diverse community, with 574 federally recognized tribes across the U.S.
We talked to some of the leaders from our new Indigenous Employee Resource Group to learn more about what this month — and their Indigenous heritage — means to them.
John Dahlquist didn’t plan to ask Geek Squad’s founder for a job back in 1996, but that spontaneous pitch turned into what’s become a quarter-century career — and counting.
“The rest, as they say, is history,” he said.
Earlier this month, Agent Dahlquist became the first recipient of a Geek Squad 25-year badge. The one-of-a-kind, gold-plated icon was presented to him in a special ceremony, complete with a custom cake and the presence of more than 100 fellow Agents, teammates, leaders and friends (not to mention delivered via Geekmobile).
Editor’s note: This story discusses miscarriage and fertility struggles.
It’s estimated that about 140,000 children are adopted by American families each year. In August, Best Buy employee Mike Mamula and his wife, Shay, became one of those families with the adoption of their first child, Bodhi.
“In a million years, I never thought I’d be a dad,” Mike said. “I thought I was going to end up being the fun uncle to all my best friends’ kids.”
For Mike and Shay, the road to parenthood was a long one.
For Manpreet Singh, the Queens borough of New York City has always been home. In fact, he still lives in the same neighborhood as the small basement apartment where he grew up with his parents and two younger siblings.
So, it was the highlight of his career when Best Buy recently named him the senior omnichannel general manager for the Queens market. In that role, he oversees three local stores and more than 400 employees.
“It’s a proud thing for me.
Anthony “Ryan” Brash has only been with Best Buy for about a year. But considering his outstanding customer service and the recognition he has received from leaders, you’d think he’s been wearing a blue shirt for much longer.
His store in Menifee, California, has a tight-knit crew, and it’s driven by a culture to go above and beyond. Ryan’s leaders can see he has a natural knack for bringing that culture to life every day.
“He has a great attitude, he’s a team player, he works anywhere he’s needed, and he has rock star [sales] numbers,” General Manager Jeffery King said.
Best Buy Teen Tech Center locations offer youth access to cutting-edge tech and opportunities to discover new passions. But most importantly, they’re safe spaces where teens can connect with mentors who are committed to guiding them to reach their full potential.
These mentors — both the Teen Tech Centers’ on-staff coordinators and dedicated volunteers, including many Best Buy employees — invest their time into young people. They work closely with teens on a variety of projects and serve as a sounding board to talk about their day-to-day activities or their passions and dreams.
Coming Out Day is a time to shine a light on the LGBTQIA+ community, celebrating individuals who have already publicly shared their authentic selves and creating a safe, supportive space for those who have not.
It is celebrated every year on Oct. 11, marking the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. First started in the U.S., it’s now recognized in many countries around the world.
We talked to several members of Best Buy’s Pride Employee Resource Group to learn more about what Coming Out Day means to them.
Like many people, Beverly and Ted Minda found themselves reflecting on their priorities amid the pandemic.
The Mindas — both general managers at Best Buy stores near Philadelphia — have been married since 2008 and had been trying for years to start a family. But they struggled with infertility and ended up putting their plans on hold as they got busy with their careers.
“We’ve wanted kids forever,” Beverly said. “When COVID happened, this moment hit us where everybody else was at home and talking about trying to balance kids and work.
As we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, Best Buy is proud to honor the rich heritage of our Latinx team members, customers and the communities we’re privileged to serve.
We’re committed to inclusion and diversity year-round and aim to foster welcoming environments where everyone can express their whole selves. Latinx Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) is an opportunity for us to specifically recognize the contributions of those whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
Yaquira Resto didn’t start her career in Best Buy working in tech, but now she’s running one of the top-performing Geek Squad precincts in the company.
The Puerto Rico native started as a cashier at a store in Puerto Rico in 2008. She became a service operations manager before leaving to work at another tech company for a few years.
Yaquira returned to Best Buy in 2018 and now serves as a Geek Squad manager at our San Juan location. She leads a team of 35 Geek Squad Agents who serve thousands of customers each month.