NewsStories Of Opportunity: A Commitment To Safety

This article was originally published on Jan. 7, 2026, as part of the full release of the 2025 Stories Of Opportunity. The Stories Of Opportunity is VGM Group’s annual report, showcasing the successes of VGM and its employee owners.    

Throughout 2025, VGM enhanced its commitment to safety across the board. From relocating a Fulfillment warehouse to implementing a new incident report system to creating the Director of Safety role, VGM continues to bring employee safety and well-being to the forefront.

Director Of Safety

This year, Kelsi Gerholdt, employee owner since 2016, took on the newly created role of Director of Safety. This new role allowed her to take a company-wide approach and spearhead initiatives to transform VGM’s safety culture.

Kelsi took a holistic approach to risk management, participating in VGM’s Insurance Captive Committee and driving corporate wide improvements. Some of her new responsibilities included partnering with local workers’ compensation providers for the Fulfillment warehouses to enhance return-to-work experiences, establishing safety champions and emergency response teams, and leading critical training programs such as first aid, CPR, AED, and active shooter preparedness.

OSHA Reports Down

“A huge thing with getting those numbers down was getting out to the warehouses and shifting the culture to focus on safety,” Kelsi said. “Safety first—whether it’s shipping an order or restructuring the warehouse.”

The improvement stemmed from a comprehensive approach that included warehouse assessments, gap analyses, and targeted education. Leaders reinforced the safety culture through team training, ensuring it was part of everyday operations. And a new hire checklist was introduced, requiring Fulfillment-specific training courses be completed before employees entered the floor.

New Incident Report System

A new incident reporting system was also launched. The system tracks all incidents and hazards at a corporate level, enabling safety measures to be proactive rather than reactive. This improvement allowed VGM to identify high risk areas and implement targeted solutions quickly.

“With this system, there’s no guesswork,” Kelsi said. “It provides standardized reporting and oversight at all levels. Leaders at every location now have insight, and the data helps us prevent similar incidents from happening again.”

New Nashville Location

In 2025, Fulfillment officially opened its new Nashville warehouse. The new site was chosen with safety in mind from the start, incorporating input from employees and collaboration across departments. The result was a modern, organized space where safety standards were integrated into every aspect of the layout.

“We couldn’t have been more excited to move into our new facility,” said Pete Martin, VGM Fulfillment President, employee owner since 2023. “We always keep two key groups in mind whenever we make a decision: our customers and our employee owners. This new warehouse is a space our employee owners can be proud of, where they can do their best work, and provide the best possible service to our customers. It truly is a win-win.”