General Manager is hired!

Chris Roland visited from Arizona in September to meet the board of directors. 

Sugar Beet Co-op hires its first General Manager

September 20, 2014

After a national search, we are excited to announce that we have hired our top candidate, Chris Roland.

Chris is expected to make the move from Arizona to Oak Park in early November and will set-up operations, oversee build-out, hiring and perform the many duties required to open the co-op. 

Chris has a B.S. in Business Administration from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Immediately after college he entered the natural food industry, which accounts for his infinite knowledge of the co-op culture and experience. 

He has filled almost every position including finance manager, produce manager, interim GM, deli manager and several more.

Chris has served as the GM at Sierra Vista Co-op in Arizona for the past three years.  He has taken the co-op to financial success and has almost completely eradicated their debt in three short years. With such a huge financial success, Sierra Vista is considering expansion.

Tom Hollinden, Board President of Sugar Beet Co-op, states, "Roland is uniquely qualified with his prior General Manager experience at multiple co-ops, his communication skills and finance background to ensure that the Sugar Beet will be truly successful in our community."

While the move from Sierra Vista to Oak Park is going to be a huge change Chris is excited for the adventure. Chris states,"the Sugar Beet Schoolhouse non-profit really shows the Co-op's passion to walk-the-walk, as far as doing 

a lot of that work that makes up such a big part of the Sugar Beet's mission, and separates us from the other natural food and big box stores.

Chris finds it most rewarding "to watch the process of a group of folks with an idea go all the way.  This is such a satisfying process to be a part of and I'm so lucky that the Sugar Beet and Oak Park have invited me along for the ride."

"We are very honored to have Chris Roland serve as the Sugar Beet's first General Manager," states Tom Hollinden. 

Special thanks to our General Manager Search Committee:
Ben DeBerry, Bill Gee, Tom Hollinden, Cheryl Muñoz, Peter Nolan and Robin Schirmer.   Great Job!