VITAL STATISTICS
Age: 45.Where born: Des Moines, Iowa.
Family: Wife, Sandra Garner Grimm; children, Lynell, Michael, Jennifer and Matthew. My mother and two sisters also live in Utah.
Education: Weber State College, 1969.
Primary products: Grocery items, office supplies, furniture, cleaning supplies, electronics, appliances, tools, hardware, automotive supplies, tires and more.
Primary markets: Western United States - Alaska, Arizona, California, Utah and Washington.
Number of employees: 2,750.
Annual sales: 1990 estimated sales $900 million.
PERSONALITY PROFILE
First "real" job: The first job of my professional career was with Target Stores, a subsidiary of Dayton-Hudson Corp. I began as a management trainee and worked my way through the company to the position of buyer.
Management style: Our management style is very personal but the principle we subscribe to is guided autonomy. We provide guidance to people then allow them the autonomy to operate within those guidance structures and encourage them to challenge the guidelines to make sure we are performing at our best level possible.
Strategy for success: My strategy for success is to clearly decide upon the business you want to operate, define the mission statement for that business and hire talented people to assist you in implementing that philosophy and attitude. Also, teach the balance of organization of these principles on a continual basis.
A memorable failure: I was senior class president of Weber High School and had to give a speech at the commencement exercises. I had never been to a graduation so I was not prepared for the speech that I had to give. It was a less than dynamic speech and is something I wish I could redo.
Heroes: My father for teaching me honesty and integrity; my mother for giving me a work ethic and an understanding work is important to get you where you want to be and Sam Walton of Wal-Mart for demonstrating to the business world treating people with respect can make you successful in business.
Leisure time and hobbies: Boating, four-wheeling, being with my family and when I'm in shape, bicycling.
Favorite book and movie: Books: A Passion for Excellence and Barbarians at the Gate and the First 2000 Years. Movies: Mississippi Burning, Born on the Fourth of July and The Never Ending Story.