Women in the Warehouse: Kia Hunt
December 2022
Each quarter, Golden State Foods features a woman leader within the GSF family of companies, sharing her journey, insights and what it takes to succeed in this industry.
This quarter’s Woman in the Warehouse, Kia Hunt, provides excellent leadership at Quality Custom Distribution (QCD) Charlotte, ensuring QSR customers receive the best product. She joined QCD more than 13 years ago as a picker in the warehouse, then advanced into various positions of increasing responsibility through her hard work and commitment.
In her current role as a Warehouse Manager, Kia monitors day-to-day operations, reviews assigned staffing, ensures food safety compliance, monitors inventory, implements operating procedures, and facilitates maintenance and repair work for all warehouse equipment. She enjoys that her job entails interacting with people and how it changes daily, enabling her to continue to hone her skills.
“This role has helped develop my knowledge and passion for the business,” said Kia. “My motto is to always strive to do better and be better than the day before.”
In addition to her daily role, she has volunteered and served as Programs Chair for the Charlotte GSF Foundation (GSFF) committee over the past three years. Kia feels well-aligned with GSFF’s mission of helping children and families in need in communities where associates live and work. She enjoys advocating for at-risk families and dedicating her time to improving the lives of others through the Foundation.
She takes pride in her team and appreciates how they demonstrate the company’s Creed and Values in their work, which has helped QCD Charlotte earn customer recognition and achieve positive results in industry audits, such as International Featured Standards (IFS).
“We were one of the first centers to score 100% on our IFS audit,” explains Kia. "We achieved 365 days injury-free in the warehouse and earned the Starbucks 2022 Distribution Excellence Award for Q3. We know that through teamwork, we can strive to be better.”
When asked why women should consider a career in the warehouse, Kia shares that “there are limitless opportunities.” She adds, “This is no longer a male-driven industry, and women can excel in this field.”
