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general manager

Please Welcome Greg Prescott, Our Co-op’s New General Manager!

We are thrilled to announce Greg Prescott as the next General Manager of the Middlebury Natural Foods Cooperative. This was a unanimous decision, made by the Board of Directors after a six-month process and a competitive national search. 

Greg began his career in the café at Harvest Co-op in Massachusetts, and he comes to the GM position with comprehensive experience in managing retail grocery operations, and in particular, a career devoted to promoting and selling nourishing, artisanal, and local food. For the last five years, Greg has been our co-op’s first Store Operations Manager. During this time, he has brought innovation and humility to his leadership role. An MNFC colleague noted that:

“Greg is a visionary and sees a bright future where the co-op increasingly benefits the community.”  This colleague further noted: “Greg [has been] innovative in finding ways to move products through the store while at the same time minimizing congestion to maintain social distancing as much as possible. […] Greg is always about rolling up his sleeves and often taking the most undesirable jobs himself.”

In his work at MNFC, Greg has demonstrated a deep commitment to our community, to our Mission and Ends, and to the long-term success of our co-op. Greg pioneered creative, forward-thinking programs such as reusable containers in the salad bar (unfortunately on hiatus due to the pandemic) and reducing plastic water bottles sold in the store—both of which make MNFC stand out not only among retail grocery stores at large but among food co-ops.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Greg’s strategic and calm leadership has been essential in keeping our entire community—MNFC’s staff, member-owners, producers, and shoppers—safe and fed. Greg’s decision-making in the face of supply chain shortages and constantly evolving public health recommendations were described as “bold and thoughtful.”

Greg is devoted to protecting the integrity of MNFC and stewarding the co-op forward during these uncertain times. Member-owners: thank you for entrusting your elected board with this decision as our longtime, beloved leader steps down. 

As always, if you have questions, please reach out to the board at board@middlebury.coop. 

In cooperation, 

The MNFC Board of Directors

Amanda Warren (President), Kate Gridley (Vice President), Lynn Dunton (Treasurer), Ilaria Brancol (Secretary), Erin Buckwalter (Board Development Committee Chair), Nadine Canter-Barnicle (Communications Chair), Esther Thomas (JEDI Committee Chair), Molly Anderson, Ollie Cultrara, Samantha Langevin and Tam Stewart 

We’ve Begun the Search for our Next General Manager!

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, a community-owned grocery store, is seeking a new leader as our beloved general manager of 28 years retires. Founded in 1976, our store serves an active—and continuously growing—community of nearly 6,000 member-owners, employs over 100 people, and has sales of over $20 million a year. The general manager reports to a local, eleven-member Board of Directors that is elected by the cooperative’s members.  

A college town with a vibrant agricultural community and easy access to the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, Middlebury offers unique access to recreation, arts, culture, and entertainment. The Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is a community resource and a destination for purchasing locally produced food.

 Our ideal candidate will have extensive experience in financial and retail management, business planning, building, and leading teams, and will share our strong commitment to cooperative values and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The salary range is $95,000 to $130,000 with generous benefits.

 If you are excited about this opportunity, you are invited to submit a cover letter and resume to gmsearch@middlebury.coop. In your cover letter, let us know what attracts you to leading a cooperative business.

To view the Job Summary for this position, please click on the following link:  GM Job Summary.

The Leaves They Are A Changin’

 

When I returned to Vermont as an adult it was “seasons” that I was most excited about, those regular markers to break a year with change.  Though my childhood self would completely disagree, spring and fall are now my favorites because they are nothing but change.  Their transitory nature can make them seem fleeting and all too quick, but it is that same nature that gives them a sense of movement, of things, happening.  It is incredible to see how quickly the static green buzz of summer can become crisp and swirling fall.   Each year I look forward to seeing those changes in the landscape.  There is a tree on my commute that I watch for each fall, trying to catch the exact day that it finally and completely is so orange it glows.

Autumn in particular also makes me think about other kinds of changes in our community.  In the kitchen I work in we have gone from 40 employees to about 7, an example of what basically all restaurants are experiencing.  We have seen the end of construction on Main Street, changes to our school district, stores close, and new ones open.  And while many facets of this have been difficult, I think (and hope) that as a group we are getting really good at adaptation.

Another change I think about is my transition onto the MNFC board this past June.  Almost immediately my appreciation for our local Co-op was deepened as I saw the hard work and serious thought that staff and board members give to the behind-the-scenes work of stewarding this community resource.  

Another big change is Glenn’s announcement to transition away from General Manager.  I, like many others, have a hard time imagining the Co-op without Glenn physically in the building.  He is just always there in my mind, in the way that as a kid you can’t imagine your teacher anywhere but physically in the school, even during breaks. 

But just like watching that one tree turn a perfect, blazing orange can be exciting, so too are the transitions around us.  What can we bring to our thriving Co-op with a new manager?  How can we get better at adapting to the next big change? What group of people can we assemble to make a new team?  I have no idea, but I’m excited to find out.

Samantha Langevin is a Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op Board Member