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greg prescott

Celebrating Vermont’s Pride Week September 11-18

Our Co-op is celebrating Vermont Pride Week by hanging the Progress Pride Flag on our welcome sign.

Since 1983, LGBTQ+ Vermonters have been marching the streets of Burlington to expand LGBTQ+ visibility, highlight the continued fight for equal rights and treatment, and celebrate the love shared for each other and our community overall. In honor of this, we will be displaying the Progress Pride Flag.

Talking with Phoebe Zorn, Operations Manager of the Pride Center of Vermont, I learned that The Progress Pride Flag is generally recognized as the current best option to include all. This flag emphasizes the contributions of BIPOC and Trans folks, who were the foundation of the original Pride movement and many important aspects of LGBTQ+ history and culture since.

The Progress Pride Flag was designed in 2018 by graphic designer Daniel Quasar (xe/xem). Quasar added a five-colored chevron to the classic Rainbow Flag that features black, brown, light blue, pink and white stripes to bring the communities of marginalized people of color, trans people, and those living or who have been lost to HIV/AIDS to the forefront and place a greater emphasis on inclusion and progression. The arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made.

We have purchased our flag through the Pride Center of Vermont. All proceeds benefit their work. You can learn more by visiting pridecentervt.org

If you have any questions, please ask Greg.

Much Appreciation,

Greg Prescott (he/him)

General Manager

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op

802.388.7276 ext. 306

gregprescott@middlebury.coop

 

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