Natural Food Retailers Association

Chair Alex Beamer, is the owner and general manager of LifeSource Natural Foods with 28 years of experience in the natural food industry. He has owned a natural food store in Keaau, Hawaii developing it from a small space into a 2000 sq ft thriving business. Sixteen years ago Alex opened LifeSource in Salem, Oregon. He began by renting a 5,000 sq ft space with 8 employees and has grown his business into a 10,000 sq ft store with 64 employees. Alex is committed to supporting the wellbeing of his staff, customers, and community. LifeSource was awarded the Socially Responsible Retailer Award for 2008. The Socially Responsible Retailer Award recognizes Natural Products Association member companies that excel in integrating social responsibility in multiple aspects of their businesses including volunteerism, education, employee empowerment, environment, and health.

Vice Chair Joe Nolan and his wife Jody opened Good Harvest Market in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a 13,000 square foot store which specializes in organic, local and gluten free foods in early 2005. Joe will be retiring in early 2011 after 25 years as a successful Financial Advisor, including as a highlight being named in 2006 as one of the nation’s 10 outstanding financial advisors by a national trade magazine. In the 1990s he served on the board (including two years as board president) of the Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin, which serves abused and neglected children, as well as on the national board of the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association (CVSA). In the 2000's Joe, who sings in local, professional, and community theaters, served on the board and finance committee of the Skylight Opera Theater in Milwaukee, as well as his local Waldorf School board, heading its finance committee from 2000-2002.

Secretary/Treasurer Laughing Water is as unique as his name. A yoga enthusiast since age 13, Presidential Scholar, and member of Phi Beta Kappa at MIT, where he received his degree in Philosophy and Psychology. LW founded the Real Food Store in Helena, Montana in 1975 and has managed it ever since, devoting much of his time to writing newsletter articles and business software for Macintosh computers. Now 14,000 square feet and employing 80 staff members, Real Food is Montana's first and only certified organic supermarket.

Director Summer Auerbach, Chief Operating Officer for Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets, literally “grew up” in the natural foods industry. The store was founded in 1977. In 2005, Summer opened a 4th location in New Albany on Charlestown road, and a 5th location in 2009 in the Upper Highlands on Bardstown Road. She also started a farmer’s market at one of her stores and has been very involved with the local food community. Rainbow Blossom teamed up with a coffee shop to compost the store’s food waste and to create urban sustainable gardens in a project called Breaking New Grounds. Her store only carries natural and organic foods, in addition to a selection of vitamins and supplements, and offers a large selection of locally produced products to the Louisville, KY and Southern Indiana area. Rainbow Blossom was the 2005 winner of the NPA’s Socially Responsible Retailer Award. Summer was recognized as a “Forty under 40” by Business First, and led Rainbow Blossom to be a recipient of the Business First 2010 “Fast 50” which recognizes the 50 fastest growing privately owned companies in the Louisville Area.

In 1986, Director Terry Brett, owner and co-founder of Kimberton Whole Foods, started his career in the natural foods industry as the co-creator of Seven Stars Biodynamic Yogurt as well as the Seven Stars Farm store, both store and processing facility located on a 400 acre biodynamic dairy farm in Eastern Pennsylvania. The success of both ventures necessitated the move of the store in 1994 to the adjacent village of Kimberton and a change of name to Kimberton Whole Foods. The commitment to the support of biodynamic and organic farms is central to the mission of KWF. To further serve this commitment to local farms and producers, KWF has opened 3 additional stores with 3 more in the planning stage. In 2009, KWF opened a 6500 warehouse to facilitate through self-distribution product sourced directly from farms and producers in Eastern Pa.

Director Aaron Gottschalk is the Store Manager of Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata California where he has worked since 1995. Initially hired in grocery, he was promoted to Store Supervisor in 1996 and to his current position of Store Manager in 1999. Wildberries Marketplace, which opened in 1994, has annual sales in excess of $13 million and employs around 85 Team Members. An avid runner, he has completed 4 marathons, personal accomplishments that has helped inspire perseverance, dedication and patience as a part of his leadership approach. After joining in the INFRA Share Group process for the past few years he's looking forward to a broader level of service as a member of the board.

Director Cliff Hillier is the General Manager for Down to Earth All Vegetarian, Natural Organic. Cliff worked as an Accountant and Financial Controller in New Zealand and Australia before moving to Hawaii in 1999 and starting work for Down to Earth. Cliff is vegetarian and working for Down to Earth is, for him, a wonderful opportunity to work in an environment that supports his values. Down to Earth is Hawaii's only ALL VEGETARIAN food store chain and one of only a few in the Nation. The company was founded by and is managed by strict vegetarians. It was started in 1977, over 30 years ago, when a group of friends in Wailuku, Maui, turned their vision into a business dedicated to improving the health of island communities through organic and natural products and a vegetarian lifestyle. Today the company operates a chain of five natural foods stores in Hawaii: Honolulu, Kailua, and Pearlridge on Oahu; Kahului on Maui; and Hilo on the "Big Island" of Hawaii. Down to Earth firmly believes that: "The single most important thing an individual can do for their health, for the environment, and for the sake of the innocent animals is to adopt a vegetarian diet."

Director Jennifer Murray has worked in natural foods for more than two decades. As general manager of the Whole Earth Center in Princeton, New Jersey– a position she has held since 1999– she has led the Whole Earth Center as the industry has changed in exciting and challenging ways. Jennifer lives in Pennington, New Jersey, with her husband, David, and their seven-year-old son, Finn.

Director John Pittari serves on the Board of the Connecticut Farmstead Dairy Alliance, The Advisory Board for BuyCTGrown.com, and has been a local Audubon Board Member for seven years. In his 36 years as a natural food retailer, has been known as fair, practical, a good listener and a persistent and steadfast team builder. He is the owner of New Morning Natural & Organic Foods.

Director Scott Roseman is President and founder of New Leaf Community Markets, with over 25 years of industry experience. New Leaf has six stores from 10,000 to 22,000 sq. ft. in Santa Cruz, CA and surrounding counties. New Leaf Community Markets produce offerings are, on average, above 90% organic. New Leaf Community Markets will be opening a seventh store in San Jose in autumn of 2011.

Director Cindy Weinfurter, owner of The Free Market, began her natural foods career in 1979 with Shopko, managing their Health & Nutrition center. In 1989 she was hired as a Natural Foods department manager for the Copps Corporation, a family owned grocer with 25 stores throughout Wisconsin. Cindy was with Copps until 2002, rising from the department manager of one store to the Director of Natural Foods for all of Copps 21 stores. In 2002, after 108 years in the grocery business, the Copps family decided to sell their company to Roundy's Corporation. It was then that Cindy and her husband Kevin decided to open their own store. They opened The Free Market in Appleton, WI, in the spring of 2003. The small independent store features organic products and food for restricted diets, specifically wheat-free/gluten-free food.