Braden Radunzel, CFI

• Reporting directly to headquarters, I provide strategic LP leadership and support for Sephora’s Chicago leadership teams which includes 1 Sephora premium flagship location (Michigan Ave)
• Provides leadership and support on strategic initiatives around shrink reduction performance, profitability, operational excellence, safety, and asset protection
• Successfully built and developed a high performing LP team from ground up that reflects the diverse demographics of our customer base
• In 2024, direct reports include 2 Area LP Managers overseeing a team of 13 highly effective LP Investigators and off-duty police (local and federal) program totaling an annual security budget of ~$1.1M+
• Maintained working relationships and partnerships with various business partners including Regional Directors, District Managers, HR Business Partners, Store Leadership, Recruiting, Legal, Merchandising, Store Creation, and Training Departments
• Initiated and resolved complex employee internal and external investigations, competed financial audits and PI inspections
• Site surveyed and designed physical security for new store growth and existing retail locations
• Cultivated partnerships with law enforcement, national vendors, various regional coalition groups, and property management teams
• Provided training at a company level around DEI, crisis response and reporting, various company policies and procedures, de-escalation, operations, and internal/external investigations

Notable Achievements:

• Scored a 90% favorable rating as a leader on a company survey that was administered by a 3rd party vendor through Sephora’s Human Resources Department
• Yielded favorable shrink results for the following fiscal years: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (under budget for the Chicago District and over budget in the Upper Midwest District), and 2024
• ~$1M under shrink budget for FY2022
• Stretch assignments: Covered the Rockies District September 2020 – December 2020; Washington/Oregon Districts from May 2022 – September 2022, and San Diego District – 4 months
• Piloted a CCTV program in 2022: Testing, development, and feedback sessions
• Recipient of the 2024 Drive Results Award and 2023 internal investigations 'Sherlock' Award
• Earned awards in 2022: Organized Retail Crime (ORC) and Distribution Center/logistics cases
• Operation Smell Good in 2024; identified major players in ORC ring for law enforcement/retailers involved and supplied GPS units – Press release: https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/cook-county-sheriff-task-force-retail-theft/
• Collaborated with HQ team to assist in closing a multi-state burglary case that originated out Chicago and the Mississippi market that resulted in a successful prosecution
• Member of the Magnificent Mile Association, Cook County Regional Organized Crime Task Force, Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin Organized Retail Crime Associations

• As a Manger of New Stores Loss Prevention, I developed physical security and life and safety strategies for all new stores, remodels, and existing store upgrades
• Supported all retail store growth and expansion for over 250 grand openings, remodels, and store upgrades
• Worked with a team of exempt managers to help navigate through ambiguous times and make strategic decisions based off of risk and vulnerability assessments that were best for the business
• Provided strategic advice and solutions to safeguard assets, reduce risk and liability, and keep people safe
• Executed fiscally responsible decisions involving capital expenditure to help mitigate risk and liability
• Effectively collaborated with national vendors, permit advisors, and, architects to benchmark, improve operational efficiencies and execution by creating detailed scopes of works and specifications
• Partnered with cross-functional departments: Real Estate, Construction, New Store Operations, Store Operations, Training Department, Facilities, Legal, Procurement, and IT teams
• Request for proposal and master service agreement process
• Developed and implemented physical security strategies: Camera systems, alarms, locking hardware and keys, drop safes, security gates, shopping cart containment systems, and other pertinent physical security measures to mitigate loss and risk exposure in existing and new retail store locations
• Recommended, designed, and reviewed all life and safety needs for new, remodels, and store upgrades
• Nationwide

• As RLPM, I directed loss prevention processes within a region comprised of 120 stores located throughout the Midwest
• Direct reports included 3 Area Loss Prevention Managers
• Nurtured strong partnerships with store managers, district managers, and regional leadership to help drive profitability, reduce shrink, and resolved over 100+ employee internal theft and fraud investigations
• Fostered cohesive working relationships with employee leadership teams to help identify, investigate, and resolve internal theft cases, policy violations, and employee misconduct
• Recruited, hired, trained and developed loss prevention team and completed district-wide store meetings and trainings
• Investigated and interviewed high visibility and complex internal theft cases
• Made physical security recommendations to help keep employees, customers, and assets safe and secure
• Chicago, IL
• Achieved the 2011 Regional Loss Prevention Manager of the Year award

• As a RLPI, I Investigated and interviewed all internal occupational fraud cases for over 80 retail stores in the Midwest
• Implemented shortage reduction plans in designated target stores resulting in an overall 20% decrease in shrink
• Chicago, IL
• Obtained 2010 Results Leadership Award
• Attained the Most Valuable Investigator award in Q1 & Q2 of 2011