Patrick Sheridan has accepted the role of chief operating officer/chief financial officer of the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, the co-op has announced. He will oversee the operations, purchasing, and finance teams and will work closely with leadership.

Sheridan has more than 25 years of management experience, including 10 years providing strategic direction to clients as a consultant. Most recently, he worked with clients’ financial and strategic directions related to acquisitions and integration. Prior to that, he was vice president of product management at Merrill Corporation, where he led a multi-national team to deliver a top-rated software solution for financial transactions and regulatory disclosures.

During his tenure, Sheridan sustained growth, increased operational margins, and co-led Merrill’s transformation from a service-based organization to a software-based organization. He earned a BBA in accounting from the University of North Florida and is licensed as a certified public accountant in Minnesota.

“What I found most compelling about INFRA is their visionary leadership and strong commitment to the members and a sustainable future.” Sheridan said. “I’m honored to join the talented people at INFRA and look forward to partner with leadership to build an infrastructure that supports our growing industry influence.”

In conjunction with Sheridan’s appointment, Danelle Rydel, formerly INFRA’s director of purchasing, moved into the director of member relations role and will oversee the retail services team. Rydel brings a wealth of knowledge to the retail services team from her experience as an operations director in retail and her previous roles at INFRA leading the purchasing and fresh teams. Her 18 years in natural food retail as well as 10 years’ culinary experience, with a high focus on farm-to-table, is a great service to the association. In addition, she is a recently appointed member of the CoMetrics Board of Directors, a financial benchmarking tool serving independent businesses, associations and cooperatives.

“I’m thrilled to be working more closely with our membership to support our common goals of growth and sustainability in a movement I am committed to and passionate about,” Rydel said. “I look forward to engaging with our retailers, industry partners and the INFRA team on increasing our positive impact in our communities.”

Corinne Shindelar, INFRA president/CEO is excited to have Sheridan join the INFRA team as COO/CFO. “I look forward to adding his breadth of experience and knowledge to our existing talented team. Rydel’s acceptance of the director of member relations position is a great fit for her and the cooperative.”

Source: Independent Natural Food Retailers Association