Alumni Profile: Wendy Reiss

St. Norbert College prepared Wendy for a lot of exciting growth in her life.  While in school, she was an active participant of Delta Pi Epsilon, National Honor Society, Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society, Camaraderie Independent, and the Ladies of The Green Nights Pom-Pon squad.  After graduating with a degree in Communications, Media and Theatre, she headed to Minneapolis where she did a year of graduate school at Brown Institute in Communications and then did free lance work as a reporter, while working/interning at MNN (Minnesota News Network) in reporting and production capacities.
   
While doing the above, she was also working part time in a retail job to earn extra money.  After graduation, she became an accessories manager at a well-known Minneapolis furniture retailer and then moved on to a training management position and later a sales position.   After 4 years at this location, she decided to get into a merchandising/buying program through Target Corporation, where she became a merchandise planner for the department store division (which was Dayton/Hudson/Marshall Fields).  As she moved her way through the ladder in the corporate buying department, she then took a great opportunity as a Corporate Merchandise Manager at Gabbert's Home Furnishings in Minneapolis and Dallas, TX.
 
An exciting promotion for her husband ended up landing them back in his home state, New Jersey.  One of her wholesalers that used to sell to her as a buyer brought her on board with their company, KAS Rugs, Inc., where she has now been for the past seven years.  As a National Key Account Manager, she handles the company's largest retail account with over five divisions both nationally and internationally.  She also handles the company advertising and works with designers and contractors to remodel and build new showrooms to showcase their product line.  They have five showrooms across the United States.
 
Wendy loves her work and enjoys the travel to markets and other excitement the housing industry brings.  She also enjoys working a four day a week schedule while bringing up her two young children.  The extra time at home helps her to balance what she finds a very rewarding career with all the enjoyment of family life.