The Potsdam Food Co-op has been a staple of the community since its opening. In the past, St. Lawrence University has seen some of their products right here on campus in the refrigerated sections of the NorthStar Cafe.

The Co-op has been through several different leadership changes over the past four years. One of which was due to the pandemic, and lack of funding availability for it; however, the second from March 2023 was a resignation. Now, they face yet another change: General Manager of the Potsdam Food Co-op, Mark Regini, has died, Adam Atkinson of North Country Now reports. Regini was hired onto the staff as a general manager last fall.

Back in December, Regini had thought he had simply strained his back. This turned out to not be the case. “‘While assessing the back pain, metastatic cancer was found in his spine,’ the Co-op board said. “

‘After staying awhile in the Potsdam hospital, Mark was transferred to Albany where further testing found that the cancer had spread throughout his body. On Tuesday, they were transferring him to hospice care, and on Wednesday morning, he passed away. Although a rapid decline is hard to process, his family appreciates that he did not have to suffer.’”

A Co-op is defined as according to their official website, “A cooperative is an autonomous association of person united to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.”

The Co-op has been around since 1973 since it opened its first retail doors and is democratically run, governed by its owners. As of January 2024, there were 1,129 owner households and counting. While the owners do receive special benefits, anyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op.

The Co-op exists to provide the local community with readily available local, organic and healthy food. It also serves as a great way for local producers to have a robust, stable and honest marketplace for their various goods.

In a message from the board, they noted that they would need time to assess and think as they approach the managerial situation at the Co-op.

The board has stated that it wants to choose the best course of action for the Coop and will take its time as it judges the best way forward for the future success of the Co-op. This is especially important given their recent turnover in leadership in the past three to four years.