CN Brown Company’s Employee Spotlight – December 2022 – Karla Blackman!

Enjoy what Karla shared about her journey with CN Brown Company:

Q. How did your career progress at CN Brown Company? 

 I started with CN Brown in 2013 as a manager in Canton.  After being there for a year I moved to be the manager of our Mexico location and started as a Marketing Manager Trainee.  After managing Mexico for a year I took over as the new Marketing Manager for the Western Maine district. 

Over the course of the next few years I became the new Territory Manger in 2 other territories, Augusta/Bath Area and later Lewiston/Auburn are.

In 2021 I took a new position as a Category Manager and also work on store resets with the retail services team from CoreMark.

 Q. What’s the best part of your current job?

Working in my new field of Category Manager is fantastic.  I get to meet new people (brokers, manufacturers, vendors, retail services, etc.) I work with a lot of great people in category management as well as pricebook, Coremark, inventory and internal staff.  I did not work as closely with many of them in my prior positions.

Q. What’s the most challenging part of your job?

 I feel that training with Mike Doucette before he left was very beneficial and helped me with many of the challenges I could have faced but did not. I think the thing that challenges me the most would be remembering all the new names and items sold by each of them.


Q. What’s your favorite memory from working at CN Brown Company?

The thing that stands out in my mind was when I was told by my Marketing Manager that she wanted me to be a trainee for her.  I thought she was out of her mind…but I decided to give it a shot and see if I could do it. 

 
Q. Why would you recommend working for CN Brown Company?

In fact just told my daughter that working with CN Brown can be a great opportunity.  Many positions can offer flexibility for you and your family. Also you can build wonderful relationships with the people you work with.