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New manager starts at Hy-Vee

FAIRMONT — Moving to a new community can be a positive adventure. So far, Luke Long, the new manager of Hy-Vee in Fairmont, is enjoying his experiences

Having moved to the area last weekend, Long is previously from Columbia, Missouri, and says things have gone well here, with perhaps the biggest challenge being the change in climate.

Long brings eight years of previous experience with Hy-Vee to the table, and shared some of his background:

“I’ve worked in multiple levels of management since 2009, and just kind of worked my way up,” he said. “I went through a Dale Carnegie Leadership course, and attended Hy-Vee University. I spent my entire Hy-Vee career in Columbia.”

Long worked for another company for 13 years before coming to Hy-Vee, saying he was drawn to the company because of its reputation.

“I started there when I was 15 and a half, starting out with part-time jobs, and running a store when I was 20 years old, and ran it until I came to Hy-Vee in 2009,” he said. “I just knew their reputation and the way they did business. They had a really good reputation for the way their employees were treated, and everybody seemed to love working there, so I knew it was an opportunity for me to further my retail business knowledge and take my leadership to another level.”

As for the move to Minnesota, Long says it was fast, but he has enjoyed it so far and is looking forward to being a part of the community, along with his wife, JoAnna, and two children, Aaron and Olivia.

“I got the call on Saturday, and I left on Sunday,” he said. “I’ve only been up here for a few days, but I’m really excited to be a part of the Fairmont community, and get some roots set up and be involved. Everybody has been very welcoming, and you can tell Fairmont has that close-knit small town feel. People here at the store have been very accommodating and helped me get acclimated to the town.”

As for the future, Long says he wants to grow with Hy-Vee. For now, that means focusing on the Fairmont Hy-Vee team, and helping the store provide excellent service.

“I want to put my emphasis on this community and being a part of the growth and involvement in making sure this store continues to grow and provide the best service and quality we can.”

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