Senior Production Manager Sara Saulnier is leading her Deerfield Beach fresh kitchen team to success.

Sara started at Publix as a front service clerk in 2011. Over the years, she held multiple positions in retail and manufacturing until she was promoted into a leadership role at the Lakeland bakery plant. Later, she moved to the Lakeland fresh kitchen, where she managed several departments.

“I am passionate about my job,” Sara said. “In manufacturing, we have the opportunity to help our stores provide what our customers need, which I like since I started my Publix career in retail.”

In 2021, she took on one of the biggest challenges of her life. She was the first manager hired at the Deerfield Beach fresh kitchen, which was one of the most rewarding experiences of her career.

“It’s a unique opportunity to build your team and facility literally from the ground up,” said Sara. “It gives ‘you own it’ a new meaning when you turn a facility from dirt into a full-on, food manufacturing plant, as well as hire about 600 associates to work at such a great company.”

This lover of weightlifting and sports goes by the motto, “If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach him to fish, he eats for life.” And that’s what she has been trying to do with her team.

“I use the phrase ‘let’s go fishing’ when I’m teaching someone to solve a problem or how to complete a task on their own,” she said. “If you always give them the fish, you will not help them grow and develop.”

“When she joined the Deerfield Beach fresh kitchen, Sara immediately began building processes, training and setting expectations for the operation. She worked to create strategic production plans and schedules which guided her team to success during major holidays,” said Director of Manufacturing Operations Brandon Haley. “And she recently worked with the industrial engineering team to develop new metrics to help our teams improve performance.”

She believes her biggest strengths are her interpersonal, organizational and planning skills. Her long-term goal is to become a director of manufacturing operations and potentially even a vice president.

Sara is being recognized as a My Publix, My Part difference maker for her dedication to perpetuating the Publix culture, providing premier service and improving associate productivity.