SURROUNDED by members of the Nambucca River Co-op board and staff, retiring manager Ron Lapin said goodbye at a morning tea served at the front of the co-op’s Foodworks Supermarket at Macksville on Friday.
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“The way the co-op has always cared for its staff has been a huge incentive to go that extra mile,” Ron told the Guardian.
“I have worked in over 20 supermarkets in a supervisory role and have never been able to use my own flair the way I have with the co-op.
“One of the best decisions the board has made in recent times is to extend the Local Liquor Store from counter service to drive through, which has been a great asset, especially for workers on their way home.
“Couple this with the strong community service provided by the co-op with its help for charity fundraising and you will understand why working for the co-op has been very rewarding for me personally. It has been more than a job.”
Taking Ron’s place as manager is 27-year-old local, Mathew Ward, whose family has lived in the Nambucca Valley for generations.
Mathew started as a casual with the co-op while in Year 10. He met his wife, Tash, when they were students at Macksville High School, and they have a daughter who is 16 months old. Mathew said it is important to them that they raise their family surrounded by the support of the larger family.
“I’m here for the long haul,” he said.
Since starting fulltime employment, Mathew has graduated through the co-op’s supermarket ranks, first as a staff member in the fruit and vegetable department, then managing the department, then grocery manager, graduating to 2IC, and now manager of Macksville’s Foodworks and Local Liquor stores.
His vision for the future includes incorporating new technology, but adds that he wants to stay committed to the co-op’s heritage.
Part of that commitment is to build on his experience as an employee when he was a high school student: “This is a good place for young people to gain a sense of themselves, to develop work skills in a supportive environment so that they gain confidence. I am thankful for the opportunities the co-op has given me, I want to give that to others and I am committed to being successful.”
One of the initiatives being introduced under Mathew’s leadership is a ‘Welcome Pack’ for new settlers in the Nambucca Valley. It includes a recipe book, samples of merchandise, and Guardian News publications such as the Shire Guide. Newcomers simply have to ask to receive their bag of goodies.
In saying goodbye, Ron said he wished the co-op board and staff a successful future and said he will be playing golf when he isn’t being a thoroughly modern man by taking on the role of house husband.
