2025 Star Women in Grocery Award Winner Grace Tham (Q&A)
Grace Tham
Controller
Stong’s Market
How did you get your start in the grocery business?
Since I was one-year old, my grandmother would bring me along on her weekly grocery trips. We would visit several stores, strolling up and down the aisles as she gathered ingredients for our family meals. My favourite part was always the snack and candy aisle, where I would spend most of my time looking for a treat. Those early experiences provided a lifelong familiarity with grocery shopping that eventually evolved into my role as the primary shopper in my household. Before joining Stong’s as an employee I was a shopper there, and my experience played a key role in my decision to accept the role as controller in 2020. That was the beginning of my career in the grocery industry.
What keeps you passionate about your work?
What initially drew me to the grocery industry was the opportunity to learn and discover something new. It also combines my love for food and shopping. I get excited to try new foods and ingredients and I think that passion resonates with our customers.
What I enjoy about the work itself is the business is dynamic. One day we could be opening a flower shop, another expanding into ice cream and the next looking at the volatility of prices in the industry. I thrive on adapting to these shifts and from a finance perspective, I love being able to tie the story of what is happening in the business to those numbers.
I am also fortunate to have a leader like Brian Bradley, who really empowers us to lead in our areas of expertise. I feel like I have a voice within our senior management team and can make a meaningful impact on the company.
Lastly, I work with some great and talented people. I think everyone is able to contribute their strengths to the company and it makes me excited that I get to work alongside them.
What is a career challenge you've faced and how did you overcome it?
The biggest career challenge I faced was making a switch from public practice accounting to industry. There was a point where I questioned whether I made the right decision. Taking a step away from public practice gave me the space to reflect and redefine what I truly wanted in my career. Through this process, I realized there were two areas that were important in my career: Firstly, I wanted my work to have a meaningful impact on the company. Secondly, it was important that I thrived in a team-oriented environment where people were valued.
What is the best career advice you've received?
There was a time in my life where I believed my goal in life was to be a mother. A conversation with a friend changed that when she asked, “Why can’t you have both: a career and be a mother?” That question changed the trajectory in my life and I decided I wasn’t going to get a degree just for the sake of it. I sought out what I might be good at. I was fortunate to have incredible role models, including my mother—who balanced a full-time job—and some wonderful female mentors who juggled both high pressure and demanding jobs alongside motherhood. Their example showed me that it was possible to have both–a fulfilling career and a meaningful family life.
What has been your best day on the job?
I recently gave a presentation where I explained the concept of grocery store math. It was a turning point for me as it helped clarify to others what our numbers truly represent in a way they could understand. It was the first time I felt I was able to make others understand their significance. Knowing they really enjoyed it was satisfying and really motivates me to build on that.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
My weekends are spent with my family and friends. I have two kids, ages two and six, and my husband and I constantly try to provide them with new experiences. Whether it’s a trip to a new place, meeting new people, planting a vegetable garden or making experimental potions, I really enjoy experiencing life through their eyes. They really make the small moments in life so meaningful.
What is a fun fact about you?
The Jurassic Park series is my all-time favourite movie franchise. When I was seven-years-old, I watched it for the first time in theatres. It was the first PG-13 movie I saw with my older brother and cousins. While I was proud to be old enough to watch it, I was terrified and spent most of the movie with my eyes covered. I remember asking my aunt when I could look up only for her to respond, “I don’t know!” not realizing she, too, was hiding her eyes. When I moved away from home for work, I would play the movie in the background to fill the silence. What once was a source of thrill became a source of comfort. Since then, I have looked forward to every new release and the thrill and nostalgia it brings. I am looking forward to sharing the series with my kids when they are a little older.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I am incredibly grateful to be receiving this award alongside some truly outstanding women. I know this achievement would not be possible without the support of my husband, Jesse, my parents and my community. I am so thankful for their constant encouragement. And to my kids, thank you for being my biggest inspiration in ways I could never have imagined.
Click here for the full list of 2025 Star Women in Grocery Award winners.