The Cooperatively Made Network

Leadership Transition at Central Co-op

Carey DiJulio, Board Chair

Dear Valued Central Co-op Member-Owners and Shoppers,

We are writing to share an important update regarding the leadership of our co-op.

First, we want to express our sincere gratitude to Ron Lawrence, who has decided to retire as our CEO this summer. Ron has been an incredible steward of Central Co-op, guiding us with steady leadership through challenging times since 2023. His financial expertise and dedication have been instrumental in establishing a new chapter of growing sales and returning financial stability across both our Seattle and Tacoma locations. We are deeply thankful for his immense contributions and the strong foundation he has helped build for our future. Ron will remain with the co-op as Finance Director until a new Finance Director can be hired and trained, ensuring a thoughtful and considerate transition.

Our CEO Search Process

The Board of Directors is responsible for recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and evaluating our CEO/GM. We have been diligently preparing for this transition, committed to making the best and most informed decision possible for our co-op's future. Part of our established process involves evaluating internal candidates before deciding whether to conduct an external search, as developing talent internally is inline with our cooperative principles. 

Announcing Our New CEO/GM: Sue Spang!

After a thorough and thoughtful interview and evaluation process, the Board of Directors is absolutely thrilled to announce that Sue Spang has been appointed as the new CEO/GM of Central Co-op! Sue will be transitioning into this vital role at the beginning of August.

Many of you know Sue well, as she has been an integral part of our co-op family since 2016, holding a variety of key roles, including Director of Operations, Director of Brand & Design, Board Liaison, and Graphics Specialist.

Sue brings a powerful combination of operational expertise, deep contextual knowledge of Central Co-op, proven leadership, a keen understanding of the local market, and a history of building strong organizations within the community.

Her impact on our co-op has been significant and tangible. As Director of Operations, her leadership has driven remarkable improvements and represented cooperative values. Under her operational guidance and with the collective hard work of our dedicated staff, both our Seattle and Tacoma stores have seen significant sales growth in the last year. We've also seen significant improvement in customer satisfaction and quality of experience, with our surveys continuing to trend upwards. Her passion for the co-op and her ability to drive positive change will undoubtedly lead us to even greater success.

We are incredibly excited about the future under Sue's leadership and look forward to this next chapter together.

Thank you for being a valued part of the Central Co-op.

In cooperation,

Carey DiJulio
Board Chair, Central Co-Op

A Message from our Incoming CEO/GM

Sue Zolan Spang

I’m thrilled, and grateful, to be given this opportunity to serve Central Co-op in the CEO/General Manager role. 
 
The Co-op has been a formative force for most of my sixteen years living in Seattle: then-Madison Market was one of the first places I visited when I arrived, and before I came to work here, it was my go-to grocery store while I lived at 24^th and Madison.

Since 2016, I've had a varied, but nearly-unbroken stretch of service to the Co-op. I was initially hired as the graphic designer, which proved to be an unexpectedly inspiring homecoming to the grocery industry (having worked for years at Wegmans Food Markets, in my hometown of Rochester, New York).

When I left that role to pursue the Program Director position at Rain City Rock Camp, I served a term on Central Co-op's Board as a consumer-member trustee, then returned to work for the Co-op in 2020 in a marketing, design, and branding capacity.
 
I was appointed Director of Operations in late 2022, and that return to front-line grocery work -- leading and collaborating with our hardworking, devoted staff in both stores -- has been invigorating and unbelievably fulfilling. 
 
Alongside you, our staff and membership, I've seen the Co-op experience many impactful episodes in the last decade: from the Seattle remodel almost ten years ago, to the long-awaited reopening of our Tacoma location, to increasing competition in Capitol Hill/CD, to a global pandemic, to Madison Street becoming nearly impassable for years, to carefully rebuilding in response to challenges and a changing world. 
 
Things have been quite difficult at times, and I am endlessly proud of our drive and innovation as an organization, the countless hours of incredible work, and the healthy amount of pure grit that have gotten us through to the more sustainable place we find ourselves in today. 
 
I am humbled and honored that the Board has chosen and trusted me to lead as the next CEO/General Manager. Know that I will continue my commitment to active stewardship of Central Co-op, an organization that has shaped me as I have shaped it. Most of all, I look forward to partnering with the Board, staff, and membership to guide the Co-op towards an always more sustainable and dynamic future, aligned with the cooperative values that underpin all that we do. 

See you at the Co-op!
  
In cooperation, 
Sue

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