Mention Idaho and most people think of potatoes, but the state also produces a massive amount of milk. In fact, it’s No. 4 in the U.S. for milk production and No. 3 for cheese. No wonder Bruce Payne takes so much pride in his job as dairy manager at the Walmart supercenter on Overland Road in Boise.
Bruce started working in the dairy department 10 years ago. He moved to grocery for a while, but when the store needed a new dairy manager, he stepped up. That was eight years ago, and he’s loved it ever since. All of the milk his store sells is local, and Bruce makes sure his displays feature locally made cheese. His pride shows not only in the products, but also in the way Bruce’s team works together to make their section of the store the best it can be.
“This job is what you make of it. My manager started as a cart pusher, and all of our assistant managers started on the ground floor. If you stay focused … and look around to see what you can do to grow, you can make something of it,” Bruce said. “We’re here 40 hours a week, so I figure we may as well enjoy what we’re doing and make a positive impact. We’re a family – a team.”