When Judy Lamitie joined Lowe’s as head cashier in 2005, she thought it would be a two-or three-year stint and then she’d get on with her nursing career. But the then-nursing student discovered healthcare wasn’t for her.
She did, however, like all the opportunities Lowe’s offered her. Just three months after being hired at a Princeton, New Jersey Lowe’s, she was promoted to team leader of customer service.
In the ensuing years, Lamitie earned one promotion after another. Her most recent came in June 2022 when she was named store manager of the Lowe’s in Woodbridge, New Jersey.
She’s saved all her name badges with her various titles over the years. When she took on her latest role as store manager, she posted a photo of all seven name badges on LinkedIn. Along with the photo, she wrote: “I started in Lowe’s as a head cashier. I worked my way up through each role and brought the knowledge and lessons that I’ve learned from my previous roles into my next ...
“I am beyond grateful to my peers, coworkers and mentors who have guided and supported me throughout the years,” she continued in her post. “I am excited for the new adventure to come and for the growth that will come along with it.”
“Everybody was so welcoming,” she said of the staff at the Woodbridge store she now manages. “I think the staff was excited to see how long I’d been at Lowe’s. They know I’ve had every position. I’m not asking anyone to do anything I haven’t done before.”
Lamitie later returned to school and earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting and a certificate in human resources from Wilmington University in Delaware.
Even though she’s managing her own store now, she isn’t through growing her career at Lowe’s. Her goal? To continue to move up within the company. She’d like to be a district manager next and, ultimately, a regional VP.
What made her stay all these years?
At Lowe’s, if you want to move up, you can. Ifell in love with the company and the way they treated their people. I’m happy helping customers and my team. I love training and mentoring.
Judy Lamitie, Lowe's Store Manager
This is more than a love story between a company and a devoted employee. There’s a real romance to Lamitie’s story: She met her husband in 2005 during her first job as a cashier. Jacob Lamitie was working in the seasonal department. The couple married in 2013.
Judy’s best friend had grown up with Jacob, yet the couple didn’t meet until they worked at Lowe’s at the same time. “He thought I was bossy,” Judy said with a laugh.
The right fit
The culture is part of what’s made Lamitie stay for 17 years and counting. “It’s diverse and inclusive,” she said. “You see plenty of women and people of color who work at Lowe’s.”
“Lowe’s cares about their employees 100%,” she continued. “They proved that during the pandemic when hourly employees were given an extra $2 an hour. In 2020, during the worst of the pandemic, managers got regular bonuses. And when the company did really well that year, managers got another bonus.”
Her philosophy matches that of Lowe’s: “I treat people the way I want to be treated. I’m consistent with all employees. I don’t like favoritism.”
Lowe’s also has a culture of caring. “The people I’ve worked for have always been there for me,” Lamitie said. “When my husband had to have surgery a few years ago, my boss said: ‘Whatever you need, we’re here for you.’ Now, my district manager asks about Jacob regularly. Lowe’s employees know what’s going on in each other’s lives. It’s like a family.”
Lamitie has learned plenty of management and life lessons during her Lowe’s career. “I’ve learned to be consistent and fair,” she said. “Managers should be more than leaders. They need to be human beings first.”
That’s how Lamitie leads. She’s a human first. You won’t typically find her in her office doing paperwork. “The only way to know what’s going on is to be out on the sales floor talking to customers and employees,” she said. “You can’t coach and mentor from the back office.”
“We have a number of new managers now in our store,” she added. “I want them to love their jobs. I want them to feel secure and confident.” She makes them feel that way by getting to know them as people and employees.
That’s Lamitie’s way, and it’s also the Lowe’s way. “Lowe’s wants to motivate, train and mentor their people,” Lamitie said. “Many of us spend more time at work than we do at home. You want to be able to head to the parking lot at the end of the day feeling good, feeling as though you are taken care of.”
