When Lee Goodman announced his upcoming plans to step down from the CEO post at Jerome’s Furniture this past April, he did so with a confidence one expects only from someone knowing he’s leaving the company in great hands.

But it wasn’t the hands of his still unnamed successor that bolstered Goodman’s confidence. Instead it’s the team he’s been building here at this Top 100 company during his 10 years at the helm, the final pieces of which have only recently fallen into place.

Under Goodman and Jerome’s Chairman Jerry Navarra, the retailer is driven by a closely knit network of three senior vice presidents, six vice presidents and a dozen directors, knowledgeable and empowered in every aspect of the business. Some have been with the 13-store California retailer years before Goodman arrived — Jerry Navarra’s children, for instance and Stacy Lutack, who heads in-bound logistics. Others have been brought in and worked up the ranks by Goodman. Together, they’re his dream team.

“They have complete command of their area of responsibility,” he said. “The depth of knowledge and understanding of their area of responsibility and how it impacts all other areas is impressive. That’s the most important thing.”

But a close second is “the kind of person they are,” he said, adding that they are all team players in every sense.

“This is a collaborative company. Nothing gets done with one person, and everybody’s voice needs to be heard. There’s an even playing field, and there’s only one right answer — it’s what’s right for Jerome’s — not what’s right for merchandising or sales or inventory or accounting. It’s what’s right for Jerome’s and they get that.”

Senior VPs

Jim Navarra , senior vice president of marketing and, more recently, of merchandising. Goodman called Navarra’s education in marketing and deep focus on that role “instrumental in elevating our brand. … It’s a natural move to include merchandising under his umbrella.”

Mark Navarra , senior vice president. Goodman said it’s Mark who has stepped up at the highest level for the family. “Whatever the family or the company needed, Mark would do.”

Mark Navarra has taken on everything from inventory control to mattress buying. He’s a company man — very talented, very polished and goes where needed. He’s really a leader of the family.”

Dave Brunson , formerly vice president of sale and recently promoted to senior vice president. Brunsun has a deep background in furniture retail, having worked for the former Levitz on the West Coast and later San Diego-based Mor Furniture for Less.

When Goodman first met with Brunson to talk about the vision for sales (which was, in part, about ditching sale promotions altogether for an everyday low “Jerry’s Price”), the two were like “brothers from another mother,” Goodman said. “He’s been able to take the concepts and some of the DNA and build just an incredible team around it, to really help us differentiate ourselves in the most important part of our business, which is at stores, from all aspects.”

Vice presidents

Adrienne Navarra , vice president of facilities operations. Goodman said Adrienne initially had trouble finding her ideal place at Jerome’s but has since blossomed at projects and facilities management. She is now responsible for everything from new stores to remodeling to maintenance and other property issues.

Last month, she was leading an “A-team” of roughly 40 Jerome’s employees who descended on the new Fountain Valley, Calif., showroom a few days before the grand opening to get it ready for the big day. “She’s learned so much, and she’s very good at organizing those projects,” Goodman said. "In a lot of ways she’s the glue to that. She’s got a great work ethic.”

Scott Perry , vice president of digital. Like Brunson in sales, Perry and Goodman were “kindred spirits” when, a few years ago, “we decided on the kind of company we knew we needed to be in this digital world and how it would be optimal for a brick-and-mortar environment. What he’s been able to do since then has proven it.”

Andy Andreotti, recently named vice president of product development. This longtime Jerome’s merchant has a “talent in product development and design that are instrumental to our success,” Goodman said, and now it’s his entire focus.

A growing portion of Jerome’s product assortment is developed exclusively for the retailer, and “If we don’t have the right look at the best price, the rest of the operation doesn’t matter.”

Ali Tommalieh , formerly director of sleep, just promoted vice president of sleep. “We wouldn’t be where we are today in mattresses without him,” Goodman said. “It’s almost a separate company; it’s that independent. It’s that deep because it’s that important to our business.

"Ali helped put together our Comfort Fit test, which helps customers find the right mattress. He merchandises the line (getting involved in developing the product with materials specified to Jerome’s guidelines). He knows everything that’s inside them, and he’s been able to separate us from the competition.”

Irma Uriarte , formerly director of human resources, just promoted to vice president of human resources. “Irma is the epitome of our culture,” Goodman said. “Her attitude about people and doing the right thing, combined with her business acumen make her the perfect director of HR.”

Aimee Olivar , formerly director of finance, just promoted to vice president of finance. “Her numbers, her financial statements, balance sheets, all financial packages are solid as a rock. She was able to get our audit down from months to 10 days because of how meticulous and solid she would run accounting. We can close our books within seven days. As CEO, I depend on those numbers for everything. For her numbers to be as solid as they are allows us to dig very deep.”

Directors

Efrain Ruelas, director of inventory. Ruelas started at Jerome’s as a young temp and today is responsible for keeping track of the more than $100 million in inventory that flows through Jerome’s operations. “His ability to maintain the accuracy of our inventory has allowed our shrinkage to be close to zero,” Goodman said, “and that’s cycling through the warehouse every two to three weeks.”

Kevin Carlson , director of information technology. Carlson knew Goodman from their days at Bob’s Discount Furniture in Connecticut at one point serving as his assistant. He was inclined toward technology application, and Jerome’s needed more of it, “so I brought him into corporate. He really started to developing his technology skills and became what anyone in our industry would consider an expert.”

Carlson was instrumental in Jerome’s conversion to a new JDA enterprise resource planning system and is responsible for all the data and technology running the company behind the scenes.

Victor Baez , director of operations. Goodman said there are a lot of parallels here with Carlson. He worked in a Jerome’s store but was inclined toward systems. Victor, however, is focused more on the application and the end user. “He’s become the single person in this company who knows the most about how things are done and how technology is used to get them done,” Goodman said.

Keegan Malonza , director of distribution center operations. Malonza started in the warehouse of a clearance center and climbed the ladder under Brunson’s supervision until recently coming into Jerome’s distribution center. “He’s had an immediate positive impact and continues every day to improve the operations in the distribution center as it relates to the customer experience, the people and inventory.”

Megann Handley , director of merchandising. Handley joined Jerome’s in 2010 as assistant buyer, and her strength in that area allowed Andreotti to “be as good as he is in product development by putting a math and science around” the buying process.

Tara Vargas , director of inventory flow. Goodman said she has one of the toughest jobs, responsible for all the purchase orders and all the inventory forecasting. She’s been able to build a team and enable the team to work on whatever is important now, based on data and business intelligence. "Are we going to be out of stock on something because of what happened yesterday? Are we overstocked on something that we need to adjust purchase orders on? It’s a job in which you’re never right,” Goodman said, but no one is better at forecasting than Vargas.

Stacy Lutack , director of logistics. The Jerome’s veteran is responsible for all inbound vendor shipments — domestic and overseas. “That’s an industry in itself, and Stacy has been able to break it down and create relationships that ultimately allow us to be incredibly efficient moving goods when we need them at the lowest price to move them.”

Marjorie Carlos , director of quality. “She’s the voice of this company when it comes to product we’re having quality issues with,” he said. “She tracks all the data and understands when it becomes non-prime (not saleable for full value). The goal for Marjorie is: What can we learn from today to create less tomorrow.”

Cheyney Stivalet , director of consumer experience. Stivalet started at Jerome’s in customer service, and “her ideas on how to separate us in the retail world with the customer experience and her ability to execute on those ideas are why we have the brand recognition for being customer experience-oriented.”

Tiffany Jones, director of sales operations. Jones was Brunson’s assistant and grew into her current position, helping managers and other directors in all areas of sales beyond how to close them. “It’s not the salesmanship piece but everything else around it,” Goodman said, “like business intelligence and implementing processes that improve customers’ experiences.”

Ashley Hood , director of sales, north, and Amy Landi , director of sales, south. Both came from selling on the floor. Ashley came from a family business, and Amy, who worked for an area competitor, called her move to Jerome’s and its everyday low price philosophy “a breath of fresh air.”

Both understand and are 100% Jerome’s belief in how the customer deserves to be treated, Goodman said, and “their focus on the managers and the salespeople, in terms of developing them towards that goal, is what gave them this overall responsibility. Their knowledge of technology, and process and product and salesmanship coupled with their character and personality is a big reason why we’re looking at double-digit same-stores sales increases.”