Blog
Think BIG: Bea’s Leadership Journey
At Harbor Freight, career growth for our Associates is not just a dream, it’s a reality! Bea, General Manager at our newest Distribution Center, is one of those realities.
Over her ten year-career, Bea has been an instrumental part of the growth and development of multiple Distribution Centers nationwide and has been promoted to over five different management roles.
We’re thrilled to share Bea’s career journey in her own words — from going back to school to becoming our first female GM, she exemplifies the personal and professional growth that Harbor Freight is proud to nurture in every Associate.
Bea’s Back-To-School Season
Bea (left) with her team, Jackie and JP, celebrating Associate Appreciation Month.
I started my journey with Harbor Freight on August 26, 2013, as an Area Manager in Moreno Valley, CA. I was there for about a year before moving into one of several picking departments. While I had almost no experience with this type of operation, I had great leaders who helped guide me and kept me motivated to keep going. That motivation drove my decision to go back to school and finish my degree.
Opening Doors
As a leader, Bea (left) enjoys celebrating her team members, such as Jose, a recent Silver Hammer winner.
[In 2016], I was promoted to Area Manager II…I even had the opportunity to go to our sister location in Dillon to help them launch new software.
This was such an amazing time, not just in my career and development, but also for Harbor Freight. We were opening stores and Distribution Center doors alike, providing opportunities for many folks to keep growing their careers as well. In 2018, Direct-to-Consumer came to the Moreno Valley Distribution Center, and I was able to get on this project at the ground floor. While hectic, it was such a great experience.
A Surge of Growth
One of Bea’s favorite things to do outside of work is spend time with her pup, Bailey.
As we continued to grow, we renamed some roles and brought new roles in. I applied for and got the position of Operations Manager, overseeing our Direct-to-Consumer Operations (DTC) where I stayed until 2021…
I moved from DTC to retail shipping, partnering with our sister DC and retail partners to bring improvements to our service. In 2023, I was promoted to Sr. Operations Manager, [and later that year] we began to hear about the addition of another DC to our network in the Pacific Northwest, and they were looking for a General Manager…
The Stretch Goal and Beyond
Bea was recognized with a Silver Hammer award of her own in 2022.
While it felt like a stretch goal, I just had to shoot my shot. Earlier this year, at my final Town Hall in Moreno Valley, I officially re-introduced myself for the first time in front of the amazing team that has helped me grow as both a leader and as a person: ‘For those that don’t know me, my name is Bea Carrera and I am the General Manager of our Tacoma DC.’
Some Learnings from Bea Over the Years…
“At Harbor Freight, we are a community who likes to succeed and help others be successful. We network across the company and call upon others for help.
A new DC needs help standing up on operation? Sister DCs readily send folks over.
A retail store is moving? Local DC and nearby stores send in assistance.
This happens on the individual level as well. As you go through career changes at HFT, you are introduced to others across the network to help you with your transition.”
“Growth happens quickly here! When I first began my journey, we had 444 stores and were in the process of bringing our second DC fully online. Today, we are at just over 1,500 stores with 3 main DCs, and we’re bringing our second Regional DC online (with plans for more!).”
“The growth potential here isn’t limited to your current area…think BIG. Associates have moved from DC to retail, from corporate to DC, from Legal into HR, the sky is the limit.”
Congratulations to Bea on her accomplishments – we’re looking forward to her continued growth as she guides our newest DC into a bright future!
Interested in a long-lasting career with Harbor Freight? We’re always looking for individuals to join our championship team who are committed to excellence and are open to a culture that fosters growth.
