Meet Jake, Floral Team Leader

In celebration of Pride Month, we're thrilled to introduce Jake, Floral Team Leader at Shadyside Market District. Jake joined the Market District team in 2018 and takes great pride in creating an engaging and awe-inspiring experience in the floral department for our Guests.

Get to know more about Jake here.

What is your job title? And what do you love most about your job?

I am the Floral Team Leader at Shadyside Market District.

What I love most about my job is merchandising and building displays with the floral products. From creating arrangements with the perfect vase and setting the scene, you can tell a story with your department. I love that my department, in some ways, will set the aesthetic tone of the store—Guests walk in, and it is my job for them to see the beauty and be immersed in it. I strive for the look of “awe” when our Guests shop my department.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Personally, my proudest accomplishment was receiving my masters degree in American History, where I focused on LGBTQ+ history and gender. I originally started my research in women’s history and slowly branched off into Queer Theory and history. I love the voices and stories of people pre-stonewall.

Professionally, I am quite proud of what I have achieved in floral. I love the Shadyside store with all my heart and pour my soul into it. My department is my livelihood and my sidewalk with the plants is my pride and joy!

What does Pride Month mean to you? How do you celebrate Pride Month?

In essence, Pride Month is a period of reflection, where we remember those who fought for the rights to love. We commemorate those who stood up that day on Christopher Street in New York, who were simply done with the discrimination and we remember those whose voices were silenced in the pre-stonewall era, who did not get their chance to live an open life. We celebrate and stand tall that we get to be who we want to be.

I celebrate Pride Month by decorating my department with balloons and any other Pride merchandise I can get in.

Name a role model, historical figure, or key figure in the LGBTQ+ community that has been meaningful to you. And why?

My favorite historical figure is not a member of the LGBTQ+ community—but it is Alice Roosevelt. Alice Roosevelt was the first American ‘good girl, gone bad’, in the sense of being outspoken. I feel she did tremendous things for women’s rights because she was not one to be silenced. If I had to pick a member of LGBTQ+ community, it would be Harvey Milk because he was the first man that was open and running for office.

How did you feel/react when you learned Giant Eagle was named a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for 2021 and again for 2022?

When I first joined Giant Eagle in 2018, I knew this was going to be where I would want to spend my career. Learning about GE Proud, Giant Eagle’s LGBTQ+ business resource group, and how we are constantly striving to be up-to-date and inclusive is amazing. I can be myself here and have no apologies for it.

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote comes from the song, “This is Me,” from The Greatest Showman: “Look out cause here I come, am I’m marching on to the beat I drum, I’m not scared to be seen. I make no apologies, this is me.”

What are some interesting hobbies or talents that most people may not know about you?

I am obsessed with everything mid-century modern. I love the design, the appeal, and I collect cool furniture and objects from this era. It took three years, but I found the perfect avocado appliances for my kitchen! I am also a classic car junkie. You will always see me checking out the classic land yachts from the 60's and 70's. I am all about Lincoln, Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Buick!

Check Out Opportunities to Join Our Floral Team

. . .

Celebrating Pride Month at Giant Eagle

June is Pride month – an opportunity to celebrate and honor the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ)+ community and events that have contributed to progress and acceptance. PRIDE is about self-expression, love and having the opportunity to stand up and be proud of who you are in a world that sometimes tries to prevent that from happening, as well as encouraging those who are not yet ready.

The GE Proud Business Resource Group (BRG) invites all Team Members and our neighbors to “Espresso Yourself” – encouraging you to be your whole self both in your home and work lives. Join us after a two-year hiatus in publicly, proudly, and authentically espresso-ing yourself side by side with your Giant Eagle community at this year's Pride Parades!

We strive every day to make Giant Eagle the most inclusive workplace possible for our LGBTQ+ Team Members. We are proud to be recognized as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign for a second year in a row. At the same time, we know this might not reflect the experience of every one of our LGBTQ+ Team Members all the time. We must remain focused on the work that still needs to be done so that everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to thrive.