Black History Month is a time to reflect on the significant contributions and achievements Black Americans have made — and continue to make — to our country, our communities and our company.
At Best Buy, we know that diversity matters year-round. That’s why we aim to build teams that reflect our communities across all parts of our business, including our stores, distribution centers and the corporate office.
This month, we’re highlighting three dynamic Black leaders who are helping drive Best Buy forward. Here are their stories.
Andrain “Scooby” Roach, Senior Manager, Digital and Technology (Richfield, Minnesota)
Scooby Roach certainly didn’t follow the typical path to Corporate America.
Born and raised in Jamaica, Scooby worked at one of the local resorts after graduating high school. After migrating to Minnesota in fall 2006, he spent time as a customer service agent and flight attendant before becoming a firefighter paramedic and eventually a fire chief.
But from customer service to fighting fires, there was always a common thread: a deep passion for helping people.
“In Jamaica, I did not have a lot growing up, but I had my family and a community that played a vital role shaping me into the man, father and leader I am today,” Scooby said. “So, I’ve always been a person who thrives on giving back to the community. For me, it’s always been about putting people first.”
Becoming a fire chief was a dream come true for Scooby, but as the only Black leader in his city government, he often felt unsupported, alone and like he didn’t belong. So, he decided to make the jump to Best Buy, joining our New Wave program that aims to increase diverse leadership by recruiting and training leaders from outside the company who bring unique knowledge, backgrounds and skillsets.
He spent a year learning more about the Best Buy’s culture and different parts of the business while showcasing his skills and talents. During that time, he used his extensive safety and emergency management background to help shape the company’s strategy for employee and customer safety for in-home services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scooby, who has a master’s degree in organizational leadership, now works on the tech transformation team.
“It’s a driving force for me to make sure I am putting everything I possibly can into this to improve the human experience, creating moments that matter and establishing a safe space where everyone is welcome and knows they belong,” he said.
Noelle Peart, Senior Manager, Human Resources (Hightstown, New Jersey)
Noelle Peart started her career as an athletic trainer for college teams. But now she’s caring for people in a different way in a human resources role at Best Buy.
“Sports medicine is literally solving people’s problems on the field. When someone gets hurt, you run out to go help them,” she said. “Here, one of the areas where I thrive is when people have an issue and it’s like, ‘How can I help?’”
Noelle, who has worked at Best Buy for 13 years, oversees HR for about 75 stores across New England and parts of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. She previously held a variety of other roles, including store general manager and territory trainer.
She said one her favorite parts of her current job is being able to mentor employees and open doors for them to grow in their careers.
“For me, it’s the connection with our employees and leaders — being able to help them fulfill their goals whatever they are,” Noelle said. “I get to be part of someone’s journey. It’s not just making a development plan but helping put it into action and put them in a place where they can shine.”
In addition to that role, Noelle serves as a co-champion for Best Buy’s Black Employee Resource Group, which brings Black employees together to build community, network, provide development opportunities and uplift one another. She’s helping lead efforts to expand the group’s reach to better connect with retail employees across the country.
“I am so excited about what we’ll be able to do to bring our employees along,” she said. “We have a great opportunity to support our Black employees, give them a voice and make sure they feel heard.”
Daniel Green II, General Manager, Supply Chain (St. Peters, Missouri)
After finishing his career as a Division I football player, Daniel Green II planned to pursue a career in sports. He briefly worked in marketing for a professional football team, but ultimately decided to leave to pursue other career paths with more growth potential.
He got his MBA and took a job working at a distribution center for another retailer. Little did he know it would pave the way for a successful supply chain career.
Daniel now runs Best Buy’s distribution center in suburban St. Louis, where he leads a team of about 60 employees. It’s a big change from his time on the gridiron, but he sees a lot of similarities, too.
“Not everyone is going to think like you, but in a team setting, everyone’s goal is the same,” he said. “At Best Buy, that’s to be customer obsessed. My No. 1 customer is my team, and if I take care of them, they will take care of our customers.”
He’s committed to helping coach other leaders in the organization. And he serves with Scooby, Noelle and 16 other leaders on Best Buy’s Task Force for Racial Equality, which aims to drive constructive enterprise-wide change.
Looking forward, Daniel said he plans to continue growing in his career and helping others grow in theirs. And he hopes to someday lead the whole Best Buy supply chain network.
“Best Buy has been a place where I’ve grown professionally as a leader and personally as a man,” he said. “I want to continue to be a voice for the voiceless and an example for people who look like me.”
Click here to learn more about careers at Best Buy.
Pictured left to right above: Daniel Green II, Noelle Peart and Scooby Roach.