Iqaluit (Sep 29/03) - Glenda Verge can say she is a true leader and she has the hardware to prove it.

Verge is the customer service manager for Northmart in Iqaluit. She recently won the Northwest Company's top leadership award.

"It was a big honour to win this award," she said. "It was very exciting."

Verge said she was a little surprised when she learned she had won. She didn't even know she was nominated.

"I'm just trying to do my job the best I can. I always thought there were people who deserved this more than I did," she said.

Verge spends most of her time training new cashiers and front end staff, which she said is probably the most important aspect of her job.

"You can have every item in a store but if there's no one at the front counter it won't help," she said.

"You don't realize how important customer service is until you don't have it."

The part Verge likes best about training people in the store is bringing out their potential.

"People can do anything they want. It just takes a little motivation," she said. "There are always options out there for people."

Because of Verge's leadership ability she will travel to Winnipeg and spend the next two months developing a training manual for the other Northwest Company stores.