Holland Ricker, MBA

I founded Cornerstone to bring 29 years of multi-format retail operating experience — across big box, grocery, convenience, and automotive aftermarket — to the work where it has the highest leverage: diagnosing what's actually broken in a retail operation, building the systems and people to fix it, and partnering with leadership through execution.

Notable engagement: retail M&A integration leadership for a 500-store, 11-banner, 19-state acquisition through C&S Wholesale Grocers.

Cornerstone serves as both my advisory practice and the platform from which I engage with sponsors, boards, and search partners on operator-CEO, EVP, SVP, and COO opportunities across multi-format retail.

Built and deployed a DM Performance Framework that evaluates field leaders across competency and results, creating clarity on development needs and succession readiness. Implemented daily planning cadences and forensic expense analysis to drive accountability at every level of the operation.

Led a large team of District Managers across multiple states with full P&L ownership. Built a leadership culture grounded in field presence, team investment, and operational discipline — the practices that produce sustainable results rather than short-term fixes.

This role brought together everything I've built across four retail formats — the turnaround methodology from Walmart, the franchise-operator mindset from 7-Eleven, the merchandising precision from grocery, and the process scalability of leading operations at enterprise scale.

Partnered with C&S and acquired-banner C-suite executives on cost reduction, revenue expansion, and omnichannel transformation — ensuring seamless transition planning and optimized profitability across legacy and incoming operations.

Developed and implemented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Statements of Work (SOWs) to enhance efficiency, compliance, and cross-company alignment. Directed Asset Protection integration, implementing loss prevention strategies and compliance measures to mitigate risk across multi-store operations.

Led the "Win in Produce" initiative that increased fresh department sales and improved customer satisfaction scores. Drove Nielsen/IRI display compliance from 65% to 92%, contributing to a $35M revenue lift across the brand. Updated and standardized Model Store guidelines, delivering training programs that improved operational consistency and elevated the customer experience.

Designed cross-functional feedback loops between Operations and Category teams, accelerating execution and ensuring seamless communication from headquarters to the store floor. Built comprehensive training programs including fresh department refresher training to strengthen field capacity and brand standards.

Achieved revenue growth by aligning operations around four core commitments: planning, people, processes, and performance. Exceeded annual sales and profitability targets by optimizing processes and improving team execution. Championed associate engagement initiatives that elevated operational standards and customer experience metrics.

Delivered measurable improvements in Net Promoter Scores and perishable food category sales year-over-year. Developed strategies to drive store standards, perishable food growth, omni-channel execution, and an improved customer experience across a competitive urban market.

Directed multi-unit operations, ensuring alignment with company objectives, customer satisfaction goals, and overall market strategy. Designed and implemented strategic plans to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and achieve sustained growth across all locations.

Developed and executed operational policies and best practices to ensure compliance, streamline workflows, and enhance performance. Partnered with cross-functional teams to analyze objectives, assess program effectiveness, and refine strategies for continuous improvement. Mentored and coached Market and District Managers to build leadership capacity, resulting in improved team performance and operational consistency.

Led the development and deployment of the 7-Eleven Brand Excellence program, increasing customer engagement by 22% and improving traffic and sales performance. Developed enterprise-wide deployment frameworks that translated pilot-stage innovations into scalable, field-ready programs across thousands of locations.

This role required a fundamentally different skill set than traditional operations leadership — design thinking, stakeholder alignment, and the ability to translate strategic vision into frontline execution. The experience deepened my understanding of how enterprise systems, technology, and field operations must work together to deliver sustainable results.

Built and managed a team of product development professionals focused on expanding, promoting, and rationalizing the private brand portfolio. Created forecasted and budgeted financial metrics, delivering against both short and long-term revenue targets. Drove a 13% year-over-year sales growth in fresh food categories, generating $100M+ in new revenue through strategic product launches and assortment optimization.

This role gave me a merchant's perspective that most operations leaders never develop — understanding product margin architecture, vendor negotiations, and category strategy from the inside. That cross-functional lens has been a competitive advantage in every operations role since.

Drove the overall success of the Zone through product assortment direction, visual merchandising guidance, marketing strategies, and vendor negotiations. Focused on translating national merchandising strategy into locally relevant execution that maximized sales performance while maintaining brand consistency.

This was my entry point into 7-Eleven and the convenience retail format — a deliberate move to expand my operational expertise beyond grocery and big box. The franchise-operator model required a fundamentally different leadership approach: influence without direct authority, coaching over directing, and building alignment through shared incentives rather than corporate mandates.

Recruited specifically to develop and open new markets within Oregon, Washington, and California — increasing store count while simultaneously improving operating efficiency by more than 40%. Led 6 District Managers with a primary focus on increasing bottom-line performance, leadership development, and elevating operating standards across a rapidly expanding footprint.

Orchestrated turnarounds for underperforming districts and stores, focusing on standards, engagement, and leadership capacity-building. Revitalized district and store morale, increasing satisfaction ratings by more than 250 basis points. Achieved financial goals with revenue increases of 500 basis points and net earning increases of 1,100 basis points.

Managed up to 17 direct reports including managers and manager trainees, developing a pipeline of operational leaders who went on to advance within the organization. This is where I learned that diagnosis must come before treatment — that walking the floor, understanding root causes, and building relationships with the team produces better results than any top-down directive.