Mary Jo Salazar
Mary Jo Salazar is a seasoned retail leader with over 30 years of experience and currently serves as Market Manager at Product Connections, overseeing retail events across Denver, Southern Colorado, Montana, and Idaho. She began her career as a part-time cashier at Walmart while pursuing her Associate of Arts degree, quickly discovering a passion for retail and leadership. Over 18 years, she advanced through every level, ultimately serving as store manager—training new management, leading a store to Regional and Divisional “Store of the Year,” and opening a ground-up Super Center. Mary Jo also led operations at Bed Bath & Beyond. In her role today, she strives to exceed the member experience, drive and inspire sales, and teach both leaders and their teams to do the same. Known for leading with empathy, humility, and accountability, she is passionate about developing future leaders and creating environments where people can grow and succeed.
Beyond her professional work, Mary Jo honors her late son, Matthew, cherishes time with her children and grandchildren, and contributes to her community through volunteer work with organizations such as Be My Eyes. She has been recognized for her leadership with awards like Market Manager of the Quarter at Product Connections.
• Colorado Caregiver Training
• Learn2Serve Food Safety Manager Certified
• Learn2Serve Proctor Certified
• Market Manager of the Quarter
• Walmart Regional Store of the Year
• Walmart Divisional Store of the Year
• NextUp
• Be My Eyes
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to starting from the ground up and learning every aspect of the business along the way. I began my career as a part time cashier 32 years ago and worked my way through hourly roles, into management, then store manager, and now market manager. Retail wasn’t the path I originally planned—I thought I would become a teacher. But along the way I discovered a passion for the industry and for developing and leading people. What kept me moving forward was a willingness to learn at every level and the courage to step into new opportunities when they came along.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Learn from those who are doing it well. Seek out mentors, and just as importantly, be willing to mentor others along the way. Lead with empathy, treat people with respect, and remain humble. Ask questions, stay curious, and never stop learning—including from the people you lead.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My biggest advice is simple—go for it! Don’t hold yourself back because you’re afraid to try something new or step into an opportunity. Growth often comes from being willing to take that first step. I also strongly encourage finding a mentor—someone who is in a role you aspire to or who is on a path similar to where you want to go. A great mentor can help you navigate the industry, offer perspective, and challenge you to grow.
For those of us already in leadership roles, we also have a responsibility to mentor the next generation. We should be developing the people coming behind us, especially those who show potential and a desire to lead. By doing that, we’re not just building careers—we’re creating a legacy that continues long after us.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in retail today is developing and retaining strong talent while continuing to adapt to a constantly changing industry. Retail moves quickly, and leaders have to be able to balance operational excellence, customer experience, and developing their teams all at the same time.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My core values center around empathy, humility, accountability, and continuous learning. As a market manager leading leaders, I believe it’s important to lead with empathy and truly support the people around you. Accountability is also critical. Challenges will always happen, but taking responsibility allows you to work through them and find solutions. I also believe leaders should always be learning—not just from mentors, but from the teams they lead.
On a personal level, family is everything to me. I cherish time with my children and my grandchildren, and I’m also a caregiver for my husband as he battles lung and kidney cancer. Honoring the memory of my late son, Matthew, is also an important part of my life and continues to shape the perspective I bring to both leadership and life.