DARREN BENTON, MBA DYNAMIC LEADER DEDICATED TO BUILDING TOP-PERFORMING TEAMS

Matteson, IL 60443 224-***-**** adyt3w@r.postjobfree.com PROFILE OF QUALIFICATIONS

Highly Accomplished Leader who empowers a synergistic and collaborative workforce to maximize an employer’s success while developing and implementing quality-focused standards; promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion; and engaging with the community to build beneficial alliances. Influential Self-Starter who contributes knowledge of current industry trends to address workforce design, develop dynamic policies and procedures, and affect positive change, and who aligns awareness of cultural, economic, and social matters to deliver strategies to enhance operational performance. Excellent Communicator who offers complementary district-wide leadership experience coaching, developing, and training hundreds of individuals in Chicagoland, Atlanta, and Seattle markets, and who continually makes sound decisions to reflect positively on a company’s mission, vision, and values. CORE COMPETENCIES

Candidate Recruitment Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Multi-Site Team Building Talent Acquisition Onboarding Training & Development Coaching & Mentoring Employee Relations & Advocacy Policy & Procedure Development Process Optimization Human Resources Operations Management Change Management Community Engagement PROFESSIONAL SYNOPSIS

Walgreens Corporation 1991 – 2022

District Manager, Woodridge, IL 2005 – 2022

Capitalized on the opportunity to lead forward-thinking multi-level team building, training / development, and coaching / mentoring while aggressively pursuing profitable sales performance. Encouraged and supported equal access to mentoring, training, and career development opportunities. Proactively prepared Store Managers to assume future higher-level responsibilities. Expertly managed policies and procedures to safeguard the district’s human, material, and financial assets, including focusing on building store team knowledge with proper service staffing and coverage. Built a favorable company image in both business and neighborhood communities by conducting in- store activities with integrity, including supervising teams to ensure stellar experience for customers. Cost-effectively monitored mix, quantity, merchandising, and pricing of inventory within and among stores. Concurrently ensured good working relationships among pharmacy leadership and staff. Consistently mentored and motivated employees to achieve their fullest potential. Exhibited a responsive, individualized coaching style to enhance staff performance. Successfully implemented strategies to improve equal opportunity within the district. Established relationships with community groups, civic organizations, and health providers. Developed methods to conduct business with industry-leading suppliers and / or vendors. Built district management talent via effective recruiting and screening, use of developmental assignments for managers, and thoughtful promotion and deployment for managers. Store Manager, Deerfield, IL Assistant Store Manager, Southside Chicago, IL 1991 – 2005 Continually delivered excellence in retail services by building cross-functional relationships with drug store management, pharmacy personnel, pharmacy supervisor, team members, and outside associates. Led targeted decision-making across all store operations, including coordinating and managing all activities, plans, and programs, as well as overseeing store sales, gross profit, expenses, and budgets. Trained, coached, and mentored top-notch team members. Improved store image via implementation of internal controls. Minimized profit loss by developing and enforcing key policies. EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & AFFILIATIONS Master of Business Administration University of Phoenix Bachelor of Science in Marketing Southern University Certified Pharmacy Technician

President, D&G Hill’s Dynasty, LLC

Board Member, Chicago Football Classic

Former National MBA Board of Advisors, Southern University Member, Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity, Inc. & Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Business Manager, Southern University Alumni Federation – Chicago Chapter Board of Trustees & Church Counsel Member, New Faith Baptist Church International Former Employer Advisory Board Member, Chicago State University – Career Development Center