Team PetSmart Week: Celebrating the People Who Make Us Stronger

As we celebrate Team PetSmart Week and look ahead to our 40th anniversary, we’re recognizing the associates who have helped shape PetSmart into the company we are today. Across stores, distribution centers and the home office, one thing has remained constant through the years: our people.

The stories below reflect what it means to be part of Team PetSmart. Whether it’s collaborating across teams, growing through new opportunities, supporting one another through challenges or creating a true sense of belonging, these associates bring our values to life every day.

Collaborate at PetSmart

Great ideas emerge when we collaborate across teams and combine different perspectives. At PetSmart, collaboration is how we turn ideas into impact, and few people understand that better than Komi Tui, Sr. Manager, DC Training.

Over the past 10 years, Komi has supported PetSmart’s Supply Chain organization across operations, OMNI and training. Along the way, he’s learned that strong collaboration starts with understanding and trust.

“Everyone arrives at their role with different experiences, backgrounds and ways of thinking,” Komi shared. “When we acknowledge those differences instead of ignoring them, it builds real understanding.”

That mindset has shaped the way he approaches teamwork across the business.

“When I need a different perspective or expertise, I don’t wait; I seek it out,” he said. “That’s helped me build strong relationships across the business and sharpen my ability to listen actively and ask better questions.”

For Komi, collaboration directly impacts the experience we create for pets and pet parents.

“Behind the scenes, it takes many teams working together, each bringing their own skills and perspectives to get the right products to the right place at the right time,” he explained. “When that collaboration works, pet parents leave with what they need, and that creates those moments of connection and joy with their pets.”

After a decade with PetSmart, it’s still the people who inspire him most.

“Most associates show up every day ready to do good things,” Komi said. “And when you can’t, you’re surrounded by teammates who support you until you can again.”

Grow Together at PetSmart

Growth happens when we invest in one another’s development and create opportunities to learn together. Stella Colin, Sr. Manager of Sourcing for North America, has experienced that firsthand throughout her PetSmart journey.

What started in 2005 as a love for her two pugs, Tug and Snug, eventually grew into a career spanning stores, merchandising, buying and sourcing.

“A genuine desire to keep learning has been key to my growth,” Stella shared. “I’ve always been willing to step outside my comfort zone and take on new challenges, even when it meant moving into unfamiliar roles.”

Throughout her career, Stella says learning from others has made a lasting impact.

“Being open to different perspectives and asking questions has helped me grow both professionally and personally,” she said.

Her advice to associates looking to grow their careers at PetSmart is simple but powerful:

“Stay curious and be open to new opportunities,” Stella said. “PetSmart offers so many paths for growth, and being open, adaptable and willing to learn can take you further than you might expect.”

For Stella, purpose has always been at the center of her work.

“Knowing my work helps make a difference in the lives of pets and pet parents is what continues to inspire me every day,” she shared.

Teamwork at PetSmart

Strong teams succeed when associates support one another and work toward a shared goal. Nikki Olugbemigun, Store Leader at Store 273 in Mall of Georgia, has spent more than three decades building teams grounded in trust, connection and care.

Nikki joined PetSmart in 1992 as part of the company’s first cohort of college recruits and has since held every leadership role across 17 stores.

For Nikki, the difference between a good team and a great one comes down to purpose.

“A good team may get the work done, but a great team understands why the work matters,” she said. “The foundation of a great team is trust, communication and a commitment to a common goal.”

That commitment became especially important during the uncertainty of COVID-19.

“There were times I had to be vulnerable and let them know I don’t have the answer, but we can work through it,” Nikki shared. “Because of our teamwork and commitment, we went nine months before our first positive case.”

Nikki also believes the strongest teams are built by embracing different perspectives and experiences.

“My team ranges from 19 to 77 years old, with different cultures and experiences,” she said. “When you ask for input and truly listen, people feel valued and it makes the team stronger.”

After more than 30 years, her passion for people, pets and purpose continues to fuel her work.

“One thing has remained constant; we care deeply about pets, our people and our communities,” Nikki said. “That shared purpose is what keeps me motivated every day.”

Belonging at PetSmart

When associates feel like they belong, they bring their best ideas, energy and commitment to Team PetSmart. For Belinda Radcliffe, that sense of belonging has shaped a remarkable 36-year career with PetSmart.

Belinda began her journey as a cashier at one of the first PetSmart stores in Houston and has since grown through multiple leadership roles, helping open stores and support teams across her district.

Over the years, she’s seen PetSmart evolve into a company deeply focused on people.

“Over time, we became a company that truly cares, not just about pets and pet parents but about our associates as well,” Belinda shared. “That shift has made a big difference in how people feel at work.”

She believes belonging often comes from small, meaningful moments.

“It’s the simple things like a ‘good job,’ a high five, or taking the time to explain how someone’s work impacts the business and our pet parents,” she said. “When people understand that what they do matters, they feel connected to the team.”

For Belinda, PetSmart has always been a place where growth and purpose go hand in hand.

“You’re never stuck in one position here,” she shared. “PetSmart gives you the chance to build your career while being part of something meaningful.”

40 Years of Team PetSmart

As we celebrate 40 years of PetSmart, stories like these remind us what truly defines Team PetSmart. It’s the collaboration that sparks new ideas, the growth that comes from learning together, the teamwork that helps us overcome challenges and the belonging that makes associates feel supported every step of the way.

Most importantly, it’s the people who bring our values to life. Every day, across every role, Team PetSmart continues to make a difference for pets, pet parents and one another.