OUR PEOPLE
CONNECTING ACROSS CASCADES: 2024 EMPLOYEE RETREATS — Stephanie Hanson, SFS Human Resources Specialist
We were also excited to welcome Tucker Cool, a professional auctioneer, emcee, and motivational speaker to each retreat. Tucker shared insights on the five generations present in today’s workforce, encouraging us to embrace our differences and foster understanding and collaboration across generations. His presence added a valuable perspective and further strengthened the camaraderie within our teams. These retreats play a crucial role in reinforcing our team’s unity, fostering a sense of community, and enhancing our understanding of what makes our co-op thrive. We look forward to continuing these experiences and building even stronger connections in the year ahead.
This year, we were thrilled to host our annual employee retreats on both the east and west sides of the Cascade Mountain Range. In 2022, we introduced a new tradition of holding these retreats annually on each side, replacing our previous rotation schedule.
On the east side, employees participated in a scavenger hunt organized by Let’s Roam, while those on the west side enjoyed a lively day at Top Golf. These retreats provide invaluable opportunities for our teams to connect, learn, and indulge in some much-deserved fun and relaxation. Our first retreats took place June 26-27, bringing together employees from Oroville, Colville, and Spokane at the Wonder Building in downtown Spokane. The event was marked by delicious food, engaging conversations, and a competitive scavenger hunt. The day concluded on a sweet note with a treat from Ben & Jerry’s, adding the perfect ending to a memorable event. The west-side retreats, held August 14-15, brought our team members together at Top Golf for a day filled with friendly competition and camaraderie. These retreats saw our highest attendance to date, highlighting the appreciation for these gatherings. Each retreat featured updates from Tom Boland, our CEO, as well as informative sessions from Sally Merenz and Erika Steiner on safety, Lloyd Campbell and Melissa Weems on AFCO & LMF, and Mike Hunskor and Stephanie Hanson on human resources updates. Raelene Smillie provided an overview of co-op history and our journey at SFS, highlighting the values that continue to drive our success.
Employees from the AFCO Mill and Distribution Center, plus Safety Sally, helping each other with some clues on the scavenger hunt
Agronomy employees gathered at a golf bay together, taking turns swinging.
CO-OP CONNECTION | 3
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