“Columinate’s interim general manager services are invaluable, and Chris Morris brought many skills and talents to the role.”

—People’s Food Co-op Board President Susan Randall

Columinate’s Interim General Manager (IGM) services have yielded very positive results at People’s Food Co-op (PFC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While under contract as IGM, Chris Morris has exercised a wide range of skills to work with the existing team and turn around a wavering operation. Morris was hired in early January and ends his contract with PFC on May 30.

An in-house candidate, Clay Briegel, was chosen as the new general manager by the search committee and has been onboarded by Morris. Said Morris, “I was excited to see Clay step into this role. He has decades of natural grocery leadership experience and is a proven performer whom the team knows and trusts.” Briegel is currently attending the Mighty Community Markets Boot Camp to sharpen his skills. Once that’s complete, he plans to utilize Columinate’s a la carte GM Development program.

Upon Morris’s arrival, building sales and improving the co-op’s cash position was a priority. PFC is a 5,300-square-foot store in a very competitive grocery market, so its room to maneuver is limited. It generates a healthy sales volume of just over $4M per year.

At PFC, ongoing financial difficulties led the board to seek a new direction in leadership while acknowledging the long tenure and many contributions of the outgoing GM. “People’s Ann Arbor has talented staff and a strong culture, reflecting the good work of their previous GM.” Morris emphasized the importance of building relationships with the existing team: “We don’t achieve anything alone in this work.” Morris noted strong employee retention through the transition. Only the HR department manager, who was ready to retire, chose to transition out of the co-op, and until recently Morris handled HR duties.

PFC had shut down in-house food service in March 2023 due to rapid cash burn and shifted to a vendor-driven grab n’ go. Without foodservice, produce was the primary fresh department driving differentiation and foot traffic. “The produce team had heart and passion, but it was clear the biggest opportunity was in that corner of the store. I immediately jumped in to work with them nearly every day. I concluded a change was needed to reach full potential, but I held off to collaborate with the incoming GM. As

Briegel began his onboarding, I took over running the produce department, and year-over-year produce sales have steadily achieved 2–3 times the total store growth trend.” As his contract wound down, Morris trained the new produce buyer and cross-trained key individuals from peer departments.

March 2025 was the first true net positive month the co-op had achieved in years, and April results were even stronger. The quarter-to-date store sales were over budget by 1.2% and up by 4.9% over last year, while April sales grew by 5.8% over last year, accompanied by improved cash and gross margin.

Morris highlighted Finance Coordinator Kristina Weber for her help during the transition, saying she “knows this business well and is a passionate cooperator.” Weber had this to say:

“Chris was quickly able to gain the team’s trust by meeting everyone in their workspace, by providing regular check-ins, by listening, and by always lending a hand when needed! He’s been facing so many challenges right from the beginning. Chris has worked tirelessly, often many days in a row without a day off. Under his leadership we have seen many improvements around the store, and I’m confident we are set up for success when he wraps up his assignment with us. It’s been a great honor for me to have worked with Chris over the past few months! He’s provided the kind of leadership you want to be part of.”

In support of the board, Morris helped facilitate member-owner engagement. He supported the GM search committee, contributed to the annual board report, and helped with board elections and the annual membership meeting. Morris commented, “It was great to work with such a talented board of directors with diverse backgrounds and commitment to the co-op.”

Board President Susan Randall praised the IGM program and the work of Chris Morris:

“Columinate’s interim general manager services are invaluable…from the initial consultation exploring options to consideration of an interim candidate to the experience on-the-ground of an Interim General Manager. Our co-op succeeded through a high-risk transition because of the stability and capable embrace of this service and of Interim General Manager Chris Morris.

“Chris Morris brings a can-do culture to the organization he serves. For our co-op, that meant calming the waters of reactivity to change, walking beside staff through an emotionally challenging transition, guiding the organization with professionalism and “roll-up your sleeves” hard work, supporting the board in its leadership role, meeting contractor/vendor deadlines, welcoming our members/shoppers, and on-boarding the new GM. Chris brought many skills and talents to the role: strong writing and relationship-building skills, project-management capabilities, deep knowledge of the grocery industry, and quick-start learning of technology and systems.”

After his IGM position in Ann Arbor ends, before returning to his home in Fargo, N.D., Morris plans to spend time with friends and family in Michigan, Ontario, and the eastern U.S.