City Market Welcomes New Leadership

February 21, 2017

City Market Welcomes New Leadership

Co-op hires for several leadership team positions

Burlington, VT – City Market’s General Manager, John Tashiro, announced several new hires at the leadership team level recently. City Market plans to open their second location in the South End of Burlington in the fall of 2017. In addition, they are planning to launch an online ordering system for delivery and pick-up of groceries as well as working toward opening a third store in the Old North End of Burlington. For these reasons, they’ve been working with staff on a process of organizational evolution that will support a multi-store Co-op. Several vacancies in the Director positions for Human Resources, Finance and Operations have been filled in addition to the newly created position of Director of Purchasing and Merchandising which will centralize the Co-op’s purchasing for all stores. 

The Co-op has hired Kim Nolan as their Director of Human Resources. Nolan holds a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, whose program focuses on understanding and leading change in workplaces and communities. Nolan was the founder and executive director of The Dignity Foundation, through which she taught self-care and mindfulness in schools and human service agencies and provided coaching to leaders seeking contemplative practice. Nolan offers the City Market community a renewed focus on mindfulness, accountability, mentoring and leadership during a time of growth and change.

The Co-op’s new Director of Finance is Tim George. George was most recently the Chief Financial Officer with Hampton Direct, Inc. in Williston, Vermont. Prior to Hampton Direct, George worked at Burton Snowboards and The Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Inc. George brings to the Co-op years of experience in financial management, strategic leadership, and business process improvements.

To prepare for multiple stores, the Co-op created a new Director of Purchasing and Merchandising at the leadership team level. This position has been filled by Lynn Ellen Schimoler who has been with the Co-op for 13 years, most recently as the Assistant Director of Operations, Retail. Schimoler has a depth of retail grocery knowledge with areas of expertise in vendor relationships, category management, margin control, retail operations and strategic partnerships.

The Co-op’s most recent hire to the leadership team is Eric Pierce as Director of Operations in February. Pierce was most recently a Senior Manager at Questech Corporation in Rutland, Vermont for 10 years. Pierce holds an MBA from Marist College and a BS from Castleton State College. During a time of growth and expansion, Pierce offers the Co-op experience with inventory management, supplier collaboration, internal control systems, and management team development over multiple locations.

These new Directors join Kyle Larson, Director of IT, and Allison Weinhagen, Director of Community Engagement, who has both been with the Co-op for over 12 years.

Tashiro shares his excitement for finalizing the hiring for the leadership team. “The Co-op staff offer great customer service to our community every day. We’re excited to have our new Directors on board and ready to work with the existing leadership team to support our staff members through our continued process of expansion. We’ll work together to plan for and celebrate success in the next phase of the Co-op’s evolution as we continue to collaborate with and support our greater community. I am truly looking forward to the collective thought leadership that our new and existing Directors offer. They’ll continue to combine great foundational knowledge of the Co-op and proven historical success coupled with a wealth of new perspectives and deep management expertise as we grow and adapt to an ever-changing retail environment.”

About City Market/Onion River Co-op: The Onion River Co-op is a consumer cooperative, with over 12,000 Members, selling wholesome food and other products while building a vibrant, empowered community and a healthier world, all in a sustainable manner. Located in downtown Burlington, Vermont, City Market provides a large selection of local, organic, and conventional foods and thousands of Vermont-made products. Visit City Market, Onion River Co-op online at www.CityMarket.coop or call 802-861-9700.