Congratulations to Ms. Pierce

The Issue: Selection of Ms. Pierce as Businesswoman of the Year by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.

Our View: She deserves the accolades as president of one of the largest businesses on the island.

Ms. Marian Aldan-Pierce’s meteoric career as a top business executive is indeed a success story in one of the island’s five largest businesses.

Her climb to the pinnacle of her career wasn’t handed down on a silver platter. She worked for it every step of the way through sheer determination and dedication to make Duty Free Shoppers muddle through it all even when tourism took a negative slide some three years ago.

How did she pull through during these bad economic times? As painful as it may seem, she undertook downsizing in the number of employees by encouraging those eligible for retirement to take up the only realistic option left–retirement. The other option is reduction in work hours, the only other alternative available when tourism or business activities hit rock bottom. It’s a better alternative than complete reduction in force.

Since its establishment, Duty Free Shoppers Saipan’s forte has been and continues to be in the training of its employees old and new. It instills pride in each employee and grants them the opportunity for upward mobility by way of well-earned promotions. Ms. Pierce was very instrumental in this area for she knows the benefits of a fully trained cadre of employees.

Through her leadership, Duty Free Shoppers Saipan engages in market studies to determine what visitors or tourists buy when moving about in their travel to the islands. It uses this study to equip its various outlets with items tourists or even locals prefer to purchase as gifts for friends especially during the peak season, i.e., big events like the Christmas Holidays, among others. It stays on top of market research on a year-round basis. It’s the only way to stay ahead of the game.

Ms. Pierce had the determination and focus to face the challenges of her responsibilities as President of Duty Free Shoppers Saipan. She trailblazed to the top through hard work and sheer determination to succeed. She did and her accomplishments as a top female business executive is indeed a model to emulate by young women who eye opportunities in the business sector. Congratulations Ms. Pierce!