The Co-op is pleased to announce the hire of our new Operations Director, Leah Scates. Leah started with us in March and comes from our neighbor to the south, Sno-Isle Food Co-op! She has a deep understanding of the cooperative model along with a solid skillset and passion for community. We’re looking forward to forging ahead with her leadership. Here, a quick introduction from Leah herself!

Greetings friends! After many years of admiring Skagit Valley Food Co-op for its impactful involvement in the community, I am so excited to be a part of the team. Everyone has already been so welcoming and kind in my first week, and I look forward to connecting with Co-op shoppers and owners in the store.

My Co-op journey started at Sno-Isle Food Co-op in North Everett, where I worked for almost 10 years and served as General Manager from 2021 through February of this year.

At Sno-Isle, the team and I strengthened our ownership basis and focused on building a culture of positivity all while growing our co-op’s sales and equity. I will definitely miss the dedicated staff, passionate board members, and faithful owners and shoppers. Over the years at Sno-Isle, it became very clear to me what an immensely positive impact co-ops can have on those who surround them.

All cooperatives have the opportunity to play a vital role in their communities through the local multiplier effect. The local multiplier effect happens when we spend our money at a not-for-profit business such as the Co-op. The Co-op’s income goes towards local farmers and producers, staff who live nearby, and neighboring non-profit organizations. This recirculation of money strengthens our ties with the community, builds resilience for our local economy, and improves the lives of our friends and neighbors. This multiplier effect is one of the biggest reasons why I will be a co-op shopper for life.

After a couple weeks of working at Skagit, I have had the opportunity to meet with the operations team and discuss some of our goals for the upcoming year. The operations team is our talented team of managers on the sales floor—Brad Davis (Grocery), Galen LeGrand (Meat), Rosa Avila (Front End), Ben Goe (Produce), Nancylee Bouscher (Wellness), Magnolia Mullen (Garden), Brittany Davis (Deli), and Amy Sible (Mercantile). Together, our team will focus on strengthening our operating procedures and staff retention, improving internal communications, and creating an excellent cooperative experience for staff and customers alike. After meeting with everyone, I am confident that Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s extremely dynamic and highly capable team of operators will help drive our Co-op towards a path of continued success and endless possibilities. One of my goals as Operations Director is to help procure and elevate each of our managers’ leadership within their departments, so they can further develop teams who are invested in the cooperative principles and business model. It is cultivating inspiring teams such as this that will allow our local multiplier effect to grow and positively impact our community.

In Cooperation,

Leah Scates

Introducing Leah Scates