Sam Trimboli is a data-driven marketer and business strategist with nearly two decades of combined experience in retail management, consumer and market research, digital marketing, and analytics. As Director of Shopper Experience and Research at Northeast Shared Services, a subsidiary of Northeast Grocery, Inc. (NGI), Sam leads the organization’s marketing analytics and consumer insight functions. His work spans many areas of focus including market research, customer and household analytics, campaign development, customer communications, and optimizing the customer experience across all brand touchpoints for the Market 32, Price Chopper, and Tops supermarket chains.

Sam’s journey with Price Chopper began in 2005 when, at 15 years old, he landed his first job as a cashier at his hometown store in Guilderland, New York (shoutout to #183!) This early exposure to the world of retail sparked his interest in marketing and consumer behavior, setting the foundation for his career.

After high school and throughout college, Sam’s career with Price Chopper accelerated. While initially intending to pursue a career as a high school social studies teacher, an unfavorable job market at the start of the 2008 financial crisis led Sam to rethink his career plans and consider opportunities for advancement within Price Chopper. So, in 2009, Sam applied and was accepted into the first clerk ADP program where he was trained by some of the industry’s best and brightest retail leaders at one of our flagship locations, Clifton Shoppers World #112. During this time, he also enrolled in the Supermarket Management and Operations degree program through a partnership between Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) and Price Chopper.

After completing the ADP program, and while taking classes at HVCC, Sam worked as a bench Front End Supervisor (FES) across various Capital Region stores, before receiving his first permanent assignment at store #045 Delaware Ave. Some of Sam’s proudest career accomplishments came from his time at this store – specifically with his success in improving teammate morale and significantly reducing employee turnover. He then continued his upward trajectory, receiving promotions to FES at Glenmont #196, and later, Customer Service Manager (CSM) in our Berkshire, Massachusetts stores.

In 2011, after completing the Supermarket Management and Operations program at HVCC, Sam transferred to The College of Saint Rose to finish his bachelor’s degree in business and marketing. At this point, he made the difficult decision to step down from his full-time role in operations to focus on his studies. Fortunately, a part-time opportunity arose in the Customer Communications Center (C3), where Sam began his corporate career as a Customer Communications Representative. This position allowed him to explore a new side of the business and was a turning point in his career, marking his first step into the Main Office.

From 2011 to 2013, Sam worked in C3 (now Consumer Services East), handling customer communications and gaining a deeper appreciation for customer experience management. He played an integral role in establishing how our brand communicated with customers on social media (anyone remember “Lisa Price Chopper?”), and spent time interning in the marketing department where he helped establish the company’s presence on Pinterest, a then-new platform.

In 2013, after earning his BS in Business Administration, Sam was hired as a Junior Consumer Insights Specialist as part of the Business Intelligence team, where he helped to lead the company’s consumer and market research initiatives. Over the next decade, Sam’s responsibilities expanded, and he took on roles managing Price Chopper’s digital marketing efforts, including the modernization of our eCommerce offering with the launch of our Instacart partnership, and later a broader role in analytics project management.

Mentorship has been a key factor in Sam’s career progression, and he credits many individuals for the pivotal roles they’ve played in his development. Valerie King, Tamara Julian, Wes Holloway Sr., Heidi Reale, and Glen Bradley were some of the earliest influencers on Sam’s understanding of why professional responsibility, integrity, ownership, kindness, and critical thinking is so important to  our business, while current leaders like Mike Miller (EVP, Chief Administrative Officer) and Sean Weiss (VP, Business Analytics & Loyalty Marketing) continue to be invaluable sources of guidance and support, both personally and professionally.

Beyond his career, Sam is active in the community, serving on the boards of directors for the United Way of the Greater Capital Region and the Pride Center of the Capital Region. He is also involved in various initiatives through the Capital Region Chamber – most notably as immediate past chair for Leadership Capital Region, a program that helps develop future leaders through community immersion and professional development experiences. In addition, Sam enjoys combining his expertise in marketing, research, and analytics along with his grocery industry experience to co-chair FMI’s Research and Insights Committee.

In a somewhat full-circle moment, Sam was also able to realize his original aspiration of becoming a teacher – for about five years, Sam served as an adjunct instructor at SUNY Albany, where he taught digital marketing courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Sam holds a BS in Business Administration from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY and an MBA from Clarkson University in Schenectady, NY. He resides in Halfmoon, NY with his partner, Matt, and their maltipoo, Teddy.