Breakfast with the Board January 22, 2011

What would you like to see in your Co-op’s next GM?
Responses compiled by Christine Locker, BOD admin. asst., boardadmin@moscowfood.coop

What would you like to see in your Co-op’s next GM?

· Maintain product consistency and variety

· Entrepreneurial and personal connection to the community

· Continue the salad bar

· Looking ahead

· Firm but not in an abrasive manner

· Enthusiastic/can attitude; expresses self positively when saying no

· Communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and incrementally regarding changes

· Maintain a good relationship with management, staff, customers, and community

· Open-mindedness

· Willing to be an enthusiastic leader

· Try new things

· I would like to see a GM with a vision for greater sustainability here in Moscow.

· Restoration projects

· Having a champion that would inspire change

· Someone who is good at bringing out the best in others and who can help other managers work together in a generous and cooperative way

· Open to, and willing to listen to, all opposing ideas

· Promote from within; if not from within, then somebody local or at least from the Pacific NW

· Open to constructive advice

· Humility

· Friendly

· Easy to approach

· Knowledgeable about products



Please list or describe qualities Kenna has that you would like us to retain in a new GM.

· Pragmatic

· Female

· Savvy

· Thick skin

· Community involvement

· Outgoing nature

· Cuteness

· Works in the front end

· Energetic

· Passionate

· Committed to mission of the Co-op

· Cares for the Co-op

· Friendly (x4)

· Positive attitude

· Resilience

· Dedicated

· Dependable

· Cooperative

· Easy-going

· Problem solving

· Patient

· Open-minded

· British accent (though not a deal breaker)

· Willingness to try new things

· Communicates with staff

· Reviews prices to meet the economy



Please let us know any other information or concerns you have about the GM search process.

· Don’t want a short-term GM

· GMs with long established patterns (otherwise may try to change the Co-op unnecessarily)

· The Co-op naturally resists change, so a good persuader may be needed to tackle divisive issues.

· Please hire from within the Co-op. If there aren’t any current Co-op managers qualified to take Kenna’s place, then have Kenna start training them or offer to pay for management classes. For continuity’s sake, I’d prefer a current or past MFC employee to become our new GM. (And thanks to Kenna for helping to transform the Co-op from the size of a 7-11 to a full grocery store, and good luck in Washington!)


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Carol Price Spurling
Outreach and Ownership Coordinator