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1990
– 1999
As the last decade of the millennium got underway, and
with the organization's 65th anniversary on the horizon, Co-op Atlantic decided
it was time for rejuvenation. A new general manager, Eric K. Dean, took over the
reins from Charuk in 1990. Dean had previously served as assistant GM to Charuk
and had been general manager of the direct charge co-op in Dartmouth.
In the wake of the closure of the Agricultural Marketing and Development
Division, Co-op Atlantic also mapped out a bold new vision for the organization
with A Proposal for Renewal in 1991. The proposal represented a major shift in
both the shape and operation of the organization, and called on every member to
think about what an organization like Co-op Atlantic could do, as well as the
potential and opportunities for future growth. Approved at the 1991 AGM, the
proposal led to a flurry of initiatives starting in 1992.
Meanwhile, Co-op Atlantic was about to embark on a series of firsts for the
organization, and for the region. Co-op Card Services, Co-op Atlantic's first
foray into credit cards, was successfully launched in 1992. The following year,
the organization established the Succession Plan for Management to identify and
train employees for key leadership positions, the Ecology Coordinating Team and
a groundbreaking and comprehensive Employment Equity Program that was among the
first to be introduced in the industry and the region.
Management Information Meeting in December, 1994
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In addition to these changes, Co-op Atlantic continued to invest heavily in
construction and expansion. One of the most significant projects of the decade
came in 1994 with the opening of a new produce operation in Newfoundland.
Provincial co-ops, which had previously purchased some of their produce from
Moncton, had long pushed for a Newfoundland-based facility, fully convinced that
the volume existed to make it work. The approval of the Newfoundland motion at
the AGM was a testament to the democratic nature of the organization, but the
subsequent success of the produce operation was a testament to the hard work and
dedication of the Newfoundland co-ops.
The pace of change remained brisk in both 1996 and 1997 with a major
realignment of staff in new, renamed and newly merged divisions, not to mention
changes in responsibilities for these divisions going forward. Again, in making
the changes, Co-op Atlantic followed the lead set by Horton and embraced the
opportunities afforded by technology. An Information Technology division was
formed and Electronic Commerce assumed responsibility for data integrity. By
keeping a detailed record of data between the wholesale operations and the
retailers, Co-op Atlantic could now ensure that it had the right information to
make purchase decisions.
The year 1997 also saw Eric Claus take the helm as chief executive officer
for Co-op Atlantic, signalling a major shift in management style. Young and
dynamic, Claus was the first GM not to have come up through the co-op system.
His appointment would lead to a major change in direction for the organization.
A case in point was the first in a series of efforts by Co-op Atlantic to
increase ties with the national and international network of co-ops. Relations
were re-established with Quebec co-op stores with an eye to meeting their needs,
given that Co-op Atlantic was supplying stores in nearby northern New Brunswick
and the Magdalen Islands. Co-op Atlantic also explored opportunities to share
ideas with the Cooperative Wholesale Society in England and made a trip to
sister co-op stores in Hong Kong to see if any products from that marketplace
could be offered locally.
In 1998, Co-op Atlantic unveiled a striking new logo. The new logo dropped
the centre ' dash', making it bilingual, and replaced it with the image of
people, symbolizing that people are the heart of the organization and the key to
its success. And, realizing that a new era was fast approaching, the organization decided it was time for a new governing model. Upon reviewing
several options, the board of directors selected the Carver model of governance
and, after extensive training, began managing the organization accordingly.
Sydney Distribution Centre
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Yet the most interesting development of 1998 came with the decision to close
the Sydney Distribution Centre. Such an announcement by any other company
would've been the end of the story, but Co-op Atlantic was determined not to
walk away from the community, despite the fact that the distribution centre was
no longer financially viable. Instead, the organization made a commitment to the
local co-ops to find a new use for the facility, and they made good on that
promise the following year with the opening of the Sydney Frozen Food
Distribution Centre. This was a landmark decision in that it marked Co-op
Atlantic's entry into frozen food distribution.
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Co-op Atlantic once again looked to technology to provide better service to
co-op operations, and their members, throughout Atlantic Canada by introducing
an Intranet site to communicate with the retail operations and the Co-op
Atlantic web site in 1999. The year also saw a new Country Store logo and design
for farm stores, the introduction of the Air Miles program in agricultural
retail co-ops, the opening of the first corporate farm store in Summerside, PEI
and the creation of a new marketing division. With these changes in place, Co-op
Atlantic was now ready to face a new year, a new decade, a new century and a new
millennium.
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1990s
- 1991 - Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lecter captivates moviegoers and eventually Oscar as Silence of the Lambs debuts in theatres.
- 1991 - Glenville, Cape Breton, becomes home to the first single malt distillery outside Scotland.
- 1991 - The Gulf War breaks out as U.N. forces attempt to force Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait.
- 1992 - The Tommy Hunter Show ends a 27-year run on CBC while Johnny Carson signs off after 30 years as host of NBC's The Tonight Show.
- 1993 - Catherine Callbeck leads Prince Edward Island's liberal party to a stunning victory and becomes the first woman to be elected premier in Canada.
- 1994 - A spectacular mineral find is announced at Voisey's Bay, Labrador.
- 1995 - Former federal fisheries minister Romeo LeBlanc becomes the first Acadian Governor General.
- 1997 - Confederation Bridge, a 12.9-kilometre span connecting Prince Edward Island to mainland Canada, officially opens. It is the longest bridge over ice-covered water in the world.
- 1997 - First oil is pumped from the Hibernia platform.
- 1997 - Diana, Princess of Wales, is killed in a tragic automobile accident.
- 1997 - Noted humanitarian Mother Theresa dies.
- 1997 - Newfoundland celebrates the 500th anniversary of Cabot's landfall.
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