Casey Gould

Authentic. Compassionate. Loyal.

Current Employer & Job Title: Kinney Drugs, Regional Manager of Store Operations

Age: 40

Hometown: Saranac, NY |

Education: Clinton Community College - AAS

Colorado State University Global – BS Business Administration and Management, Public and Non-Profit Management, Organizational Leadership

Whether mentoring employees, supporting local organizations, coaching youth sports, or helping develop future leaders, Casey approaches leadership with a belief that strong organizations and strong communities are ultimately built the same way: through trust, investment in people, and a willingness to keep learning along the way.

In three words, how would others describe your personal brand—and where do those traits show up most in your work?

Authentic, Compassionate, and Loyal.

I think this shows up by admitting to my mistakes. I’m not always right and I’ll be the first to tell you. I believe that this builds trust but also sets the standard for accountability. I feel it also shows up by having a “human first” approach and advocating for my teams.

What aspect of your organization’s culture do you protect or promote most fiercely—and how have you influenced it?

Employee Ownership. We are able to impact our ESOP daily through our actions. Being an employee owner puts the responsibility on us to make sure we are doing the best we can, ultimately knowing that it comes back to reward us.

Where do you invest your time outside of work, and what motivates your commitment to those efforts?

I am a member of Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce. I also serve on the board of United Way and allocation committee for Children’s Miracle Network at Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health. In addition, I enjoy being involved with coaching youth sports and scouting. The underlying motivation is community driven. To build off of Kinney’s culture, one of the beliefs from our mission statement that has motivated me and stuck with me throughout my career is “we are only as strong as our community, and we should each strive to make our community a better place to live.”

Who has most influenced your leadership style—and what specific lesson from them still shapes how you lead today?

Dave South. He hired me at Kinney’s and took a chance on me. There are a few lessons that have stuck with me: positive reinforcement, trust, and respect. He preached Ken Blanchard’s “catch someone doing something right” promoting positive reinforcement, something that I also instill in my teams. He taught me that trust is a two-way street and leaders must earn the trust of their people but they must also have trust in people accomplishing goals and tasks.

Where are you making your greatest impact right now—in your organization, industry, or community—and how do you measure it? This is a really tough question. I feel it is important to be well balanced between work, family, and community efforts. It really does ebb and flow depending on where I feel I’m needed most.

What’s something about you that would surprise people—and what does it reveal about how you think or operate?

I am often perceived as well organized and structured. While that may be the case as it is a necessity for my role, it is something I’ve had to work at my whole life and continue to do so on a daily basis.

What is one lesson your career has taught you that you had to learn the hard way—and how has it changed you? Allowing myself to be vulnerable and realizing that I don’t always have all the answers. This has shifted my leadership and management style and has allowed for more innovation across my teams while building trust and allowing for growth of my employees.

What is the biggest professional or personal risk you’ve taken—and would you make the same decision again? Why or why not?

The biggest risk was going back to school to finish what I started. Attending school full time, working full time, and having a newborn was a huge challenge and undertaking. I’m proud of what I accomplished but most importantly finished what I started. I would absolutely make the same decision again!

The North Country’s “Gen IQ” reflects how well we lead, market to, and innovate across generations. Where are we getting it right—and where do we need to evolve? I think the best opportunity for us to evolve is to recognize that leadership occurs at all levels. Recognizing leadership in various roles and providing mentorship and nurturing our next generation of leaders.

What’s one idea, belief, or change you hope to see shape the future of leadership in our region?

Learning by doing, making mistakes, and handling stretch assignments.