Council Selects General Manager Finalists; In-person Interviews June 3 & 4 

The council’s and the Co-op’s most important task this year is hiring a new General Manager (GM) who will meet the Co-op’s current needs. I’m excited to announce that the council has selected two finalists to come to the Co-op for in-person interviews. These will include gatherings with staff and with member-owners. The gatherings with member-owners will take place on Monday, June 3 and Tuesday, June 4; both are 2:00 – 3:30 pm in the vestry of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier. Please come by to meet the candidates and give the council your feedback on them! 

Both candidates have extensive experience in cooperative grocery stores and a broad range of experience in the world of food. We were impressed by their thoughtful answers to our questions, and we’re eager to show them our store and introduce them to our staff and community. To protect their privacy, we’re not announcing their names, but you will have an opportunity to get to know them when they visit. 

More than 30 candidates applied for this position. We engaged the recruiting firm Gallagher Flynn to help us with the process, and they passed on the top ten candidates to a search committee with representatives from member-owners, employees, and the council. The search committee read cover letters, resumes, and Gallagher Flynn’s comments on every applicant. They selected the four candidates they thought best fit the Co-op’s needs and interviewed them. Of those four, the search committee sent three names to the council. The council interviewed the three and picked two to invite for in-person interviews.  

Seeking New Council Member – Application Deadline June 11 

A council member’s resignation has created a vacancy, and the council intends to appoint a member to fill the empty seat through the next Annual Meeting (in November), when elections will be held again. Members current with their equity investment are encouraged to apply. The council will interview applicants and fill the seat as soon as possible. Learn more on our Governance page and fill out the application online or pick one up in the exit way of the store. 

Applications must be received by Tuesday, June 11. 

Successful Dinner and Discussion on May 17 

The council hosted a fantastic dinner and discussion on Friday, May 17 on the themes of local resiliency and what the Co-op can do to contribute to it. Nearly a hundred member-owners showed up to enjoy food from the Co-op’s prepared foods department, visit with each other, and contribute ideas on the Co-op’s role going forward. The Community Relations team is compiling the ideas generated and will send them to the council and management to consider. Plus, some member-owners volunteered to serve on Co-op committees.  

ORCA Media filmed the event at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center. The video doesn’t capture all the magic, because much of it happened in discussions at individual tables, but it gives a flavor of the evening.

—Carl Etnier, Council President