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GIANT Strides: LVC MBA Grad Reflects on Journey
Rebecca Lupfer M’08 had worked at The GIANT Company for a year when she learned LVC would be holding MBA classes on-site at GIANT’s corporate office.
Having graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in accounting and a knack for numbers, Lupfer felt graduate school was the right path for her.
“I have always enjoyed numbers, and I had a mentor that encouraged me to go into this field as a solid career path,” Lupfer said. “I originally wanted to become a CPA, but as I began working, I realized I was much more inclined to the audit side of the business.”
Because of the connection GIANT had fostered with LVC, Lupfer enrolled in LVC’s MBA Program. Immediately, she was appreciative of the flexibility the program afforded her.
“I was able to space it out and do one class at a time,” said Lupfer, who completed her LVC MBA in 2008. “As a mother of one daughter at the time, it was a great way for me to continue my education while fitting it into my already busy schedule.”
Beyond flexibility, Lupfer also appreciated the real-life experience professors brought to the program.
“Several professors worked in professional careers during the day and taught on the side,” Lupfer said. “I felt it gave a different level of credibility to the program and the real issues students were faced at work daily.”
Lupfer has been with The GIANT Company since 2005. Currently, she is the vice president of center store, meaning she is responsible for managing center store categories for The GIANT Company. These include grocery, dairy, frozen, non-foods, and beer and wine.
Part of Lupfer’s job includes leading her team in developing assortment plans, promotional planning, category management, and pricing decisions for the center store categories. Additionally, she works directly with vendors on category planning to drive mutual growth and develop strategies that deliver on the needs of customers and their families.
Lupfer credits much of her success to what she learned through the MBA Program.
“I truly believe that it has helped with my strategic thinking and analytical skills,” Lupfer said. “It gave me insights into other areas of business and global markets and allowed me to grow my professional network. I believe it truly elevated my career experience.”
— Josh Hildebrand, Marketing & Communications Student Assistant
