Stuart Bragg

23 Boat Ramp Road

Madison, NH 03849
(603) 452-5263
Education:
University of New Hampshire, Granite State College Division, Sept. '95 - Oct. 20
05 (Childhood Studies) (G.P.A. 4.0 Alpha Sigma Lambda). University of New Hampsh
ire, Durham, NH; Sept. '73 - May '74 (English Major). Plymouth State College, Pl
ymouth, NH: Feb.'75 - Dec.'75 (Math Major).
Qualifications:
* Easily recruits team-oriented employees.
* Proven leadership skills.
* Strong customer service orientation.
* Proficient in the use of numerous software packages.
* Excellent interpersonal relations, altruistic.
* Prioritizes tasks effectively.
* Excellent organizational skills, detail oriented.
Experience:
Residence Inn by Marriott: Lead front desk associate. Initiated and augmented se
t up of front desk protocols and Marriott's rigorous customer service standards.
Room blocking, reservations and running of necessary reports were typical. Cons
tant communication with housekeeping staff to ensure smooth, seamless operations
and enhanced customer service. (9/09 - present)
Brooks Brothers: Floor Supervisor at the North Conway location of America's olde
st retailer. Responsible for all managerial duties except scheduling and payroll
, but have helped with the former. Floor Set specialist and lead merchandiser. T
aught "clienteling" software to entire staff, also helped out in other Brooks Br
others locations when needed. Store St. Jude Ambassador in 2008. (6/08- 7/09)
Staples: Interim position to keep working between the closing of Bombay and the
opening of Brook's Brothers. Basically a sales and floor replenishment position.
Staples Employee of the Month for March of 2008. (12/07-6/08)
Bombay Outlet: Assistant Manager of this 2600 square foot store. Consistently a
leader in U.P.T. and average transaction. Performed all scheduling, payroll, and
sales tracking duties. Also responsible for assembly, refurbishing and refinish
ing of furniture. Hired all temporary help. Organized the stockroom to insure pr
oper inventory flow. (10/04- 11/07)
Bootleggers: Assistant Manager of Miltner's North Conway location. Primarily a c
ommissioned sales position. (11/02-09/04)
Brookstone Outlet: Assistant Manager. Primary responsibility was sales generatio
n, optimized through various sales techniques including product knowledge, demon
stration, and the use of the "Prodigy Notebook" [repeat business log]. North Con
way store had greatest increase in district over LY in both July and August of 2
002. (10/01-01/03)
Reebok Factory Direct: Manager of Reebok's North Conway (10,000 sq. ft./$2.5m) l
ocation. Responsible for all managerial duties including but not limited to Stor
e Presentation, Team, Customer Service, Inventory Flow, Managing Company Assets,
Payroll and Expenditures Control, and Communications. Reebok World Series (Q3 s
ales improvement) winners in both 1999 and 2000. (8/98 - 10/01)
Converse Factory Store: Assistant Manager. Responsible for all managerial duties
including ordering new merchandise. Frequently top commissioned salesperson as
well.
(9/96 - 12/97)
H.H.Brown Factory Outlet: Assistant Manager. Also handled the bulk of all mail o
rder- related activities. Created database of all mail order customers and incre
ased repeat business through the use of special mailings and telemarketing strat
egies. H.H. Brown Employee of the Year in 1995. (4/94 - 9/96)
24 Fairmount St.
Lowell, MA 01852
January 15, 2008
Re:
Letter of Recommendation
Stuart Bragg
To whom it may concern:
Relaxing in the White Mountains hadn't been the same since the Bombay Outlet clo
sed. It's not so much that we miss the merchandise at the store, but rather beca
use we don't get to see Stuart Bragg anymore.
My husband, adult children and I split our time between Boston and Jackson/North
Conway throughout the summer and winter. We hike, golf and ski ... then we shop
... not what I call compulsory shopping, but rather free-style shopping ... just
checking out what's new, what's on sale, what's old (in the case of antiques) a
nd what's fun.
It was in this context we ran into Stuart in Bombay about four years ago. Or rat
her, I overheard Stuart engaged in conversation with another customer and became
so fascinated I turned to see who was talking. This fascination continued until
the store closed.
He has an interesting presence ... well spoken, attractive, and always groomed .
.. and gives the impression of an English teacher from a prep school on sabbatic
al leave in the mountains writing something wicked and sardonic. When we first t
alked to him the topics ranged from his early exploits flying a plane to a human
itarian trip he had recently taken with his children to Africa on a milestone bi
rthday. In between conversation snippets he located a window treatment to coordi
nate with a particular bed skirt and spread for one customer and negotiated a di
scount for another shopper buying a floor sample.
"Oh thank you, Stuart ... thank you again ... I knew if anyone could find it, it
would be you ..."Oh Stuart, you're the best."... Each shopper was sure that the
y had his undivided attention and that they were the most important people in th
e world. You will note that all of these people knew his name. My husband and I
left thinking, "Who is this man, and why is he selling mirrors in the Bombay Com
pany in Conway?"... He must be in the witness protection program or some retired
dot com executive living up here and skiing on weekends. We were surprised to l
earn he wasn't event the manager, although I'm sure many customers assumed he wa
s, and his coworkers deferred to him.
We determined his last name because "Bragg" was written on the inside of many of
the great books that embellished the desk, shelves and bookcases sold in the st
ore and learned that he had brought them from home to improve the esthetic of th
e display. We discussed books, movies, mountain hikes and refinishing techniques
... he did the assembly and repair on the Bombay scratch and dent. He'd point o
ut a cushion that came in that would go with something my daughter-in-law bought
a month ago ... and would remember my daughter-in-laws name.
This is not your usual letter of professional recommendation. I cannot address t
he timeliness of his expense reports, or his ability to master office software.
I cannot even evaluate his demeanor as an employee. It is from the perspective o
f a customer that I recommend him. Is he punctual? I don't know, but he did offe
r to help us move some furniture in his truck to our condo after the store close
d for the evening. Is he cheerful to his supervisor? I don't know, but he has an
infectious laugh and always made me think that my stories were the most enterta
ining tales he had heard all day. Does he keep his desk tidy? I have no idea, bu
t I always had the impression that his time spent finding a missing caster on a
chair or a finial on a lamp was not an inconvenience, but rather an opportunity
to be helpful.
I know I am not alone in this. When I went into Bombay during its final days, I
asked one of Stuart's coworkers what his plans were. She replied, "I don't know,
but every one has been in here asking ... it's like he's got a cult following."
We shopped last weekend in Orvis and I asked if Bombay's absence had affected t
heir sales. The manager said, "Oh, ... isn't it terrible." I noted that I missed
the employees and she said, "Oh yes, especially Stuart ... everybody's been ask
ing about him ... He's at Staples you know." Well, I didn't know he was at Stapl
es, but I guess I'll have to add Staples to my apres ski shopping itinerary ...
along with Orvis and Polo and Banana Republic and Brooks Bros. and Brookstone. H
ow much time can I spend looking a pencils and copy paper? I don't know, but the
n again, I'm not really in there for the shopping alone.
Stuart is gregarious, friendly, disciplined, responsible, empathetic, helpful, f
unny, courteous and yet enigmatic. I firmly believe he would be an asset to any
retail location and would further suggest that people would come into your store
repeatedly simply because he works there.
If you require additional information, you may reach me via email
or by phone during the day at 978-934-3224, or in the
evening at 978-458-7576.
Sincerely,
Mary Louise Hubbell
Nancy Templeton
310 Belsize Drive,
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M4S 1M9
The Bombay Company
Head Office
P.O. Box 161009
Fort Worth Texas
U.S.A. 76161-9967
Attn: Mr. David B. Stewart
Dear Sir,
I had the opportunity to do some shopping this summer and I wanted to share with
you the wonderful experience I had in one of your stores.
I arrived in North Conway, New Hampshire on a very hot day in July. I was enrout
e to my summer home in Prince Edward Island with an SUV filled completely with f
urnishings I was bringing. Then I wandered into the Bombay Company store . . . .
just to look. I was really impressed with the stock they had and soon had chosen
several pieces that I felt I couldn't live without. The problem of course was t
hat my vehicle was already filled to capacity.
It was then that I met your sales representative, Stuart Bragg. He was so pleasa
nt to deal with and so accommodating. When I showed him the pieces I liked and t
hen my very packed vehicle, I was quite prepared to have to pass up purchasing b
ut Stuart was able to think outside the box. We emptied everything out of my car
and reorganized my entire luggage. Stuart brought two ladders out and painstaki
ngly plastic wrapped my furniture choices so that lots could be attached to the
roof rack. It took some time and a tremendous amount of effort on an extremely h
umid day to put everything in place but what an amazing job he did. I traveled f
or another full day and a half through a fierce rainstorm. My cargo did not shif
t one iota throughout the drive and when eventually I arrived at my destination,
all was dry and in perfect condition. I am thrilled with the way the pieces loo
k in their new space.
I couldn't believe the extraordinary effort that Stuart made to please me. I was
sure that he must have been an independent owner to go the extra mile to make a
sale. He laughed and said "no, he was just doing his job". His knowledge, enthu
siasm and work ethic are exemplary. I was so impressed; I had to stop by the sto
re upon my return at summer's end if only to thank Stuart once again. He was eve
ry bit as pleasant as at our first encounter and was even able to sell me more p
roducts which happily fit easily into my now empty vehicle.
`I have shared with many friends my wonderful experience with Mr. Bragg and the
Bombay Company. If you give out gold stars, this employee deserves all five. He
is certainly a great credit to your company!
Sincerely,
Nancy Templeton