A Message from the GM, Kenna Eaton: Planning for Retirement
After many years serving our co-op community, I’ve decided to retire at the end of next year. My official retirement date is December 31, 2026. While this plan isn’t a secret—the Board has known about it for at least a year—with only 15 months to go, it’s time for the Board to begin searching for my successor.
As our friend and co-op consultant Carolee Colter has written, “Finding a general manager for a food co-op can be a challenge. Co-op GMs not only have to manage operations of a store, but they must also manage budgeting, accounting, marketing, information technology, and human resources—functions provided to the manager of a chain store by corporate headquarters.”
But of course, that isn’t the whole story. A co-op is very different than a corporate store. Our goals our different. Take our Mission Statement—“Working together to nourish our community.” Our main purpose is to provide good food to our community, and as much as possible, from our community of local farmers. Our members have told us in every survey this is their main priority. In addition, our mission means we want to be good community members while we provide that good food. We need a GM who understands and endorses our Mission.
A co-op is also different in that it is owned by the people who use it, not corporate shareholders. I like to think I have three “bosses”: my staff, my Board of Directors, and of course, you—our members. Each group often holds extremely high and sometimes conflicting expectations for the store. Again, from Carolee: “To be a successful co-op manager, a person has to be a visionary leader, team player, savvy businessperson, skilled communicator, and a diplomat.” Whew. Is that what I do?
The answer is I hope so, but I’ll admit it’s hard to do it well—and do it well all the time. I rely on my team to support me so we can be effective in providing that type of leadership. I rely on my Board to provide that higher level of vision and guidance, and I rely on our staff to help fulfill those goals and aspirations set by the Board. And I rely upon you, our members, to support us as we try our very best to meet your needs.
Over the coming year, the Board will do the work needed to find the next person to lead our co-op. They want to be transparent about the process of GM succession. They also want to be thoughtful and inclusive—and all of that takes time, so they want everyone in our co-op community to know this is all part of a plan. Keep an eye out for articles, blogs, and/or emails from the Board outlining their process and keeping you updated on how the GM search is going.
I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this incredible community since 2011. And as we begin this transition, I look forward to working together to ensure a smooth and thoughtful process.
The Board of Directors is starting the recruitment planning process for hiring the next General Manager. They plan to utilize professional help to do this as hiring anyone in a managerial capacity is a large undertaking. If there are questions or concerns about next steps, anyone would be welcome to reach out to them.
Thank you for your continued support and appreciation.
Warmly,
Kenna
