Sam Bugarsky

A new CEO is coming to the farmer-owned cooperative Wilco in early 2024.

John Bowersox will take over the position following the retirement of Sam Bugarsky on Jan. 20.

“We interviewed numerous qualified candidates for the CEO position and John’s experience in a cooperative system and his experience in the rural lifestyle retail business, along with his desire to be back in the Pacific Northwest, weighed in his favor,” said Ben Coleman, Wilco board chairman.

Based in Mt. Angel, Wilco represents about 3,000 farmer-members in the Willamette Valley and parts of Washington and California.

The co-op is best known for its farm retail stores, with 25 locations in Oregon, Washington and California including one in Redmond. It also operates divisions in fuels, agronomy and hazelnuts, having merged with Hazelnut Growers of Oregon in 2016.

Last year saw a record $373 million in sales for Wilco, which translated into the second-highest net earnings for members after inflation.

Bowersox comes to Wilco from Appleton, Wis., where he has worked as the chief supply chain officer and senior vice president of information technology and e-commerce at Fleet Farm, a Midwestern lifestyle retailer with 50 stores in five states.

Bugarsky is retiring after a 35-plus year career at the co-op, starting in high school as a warehouse employee and working his way up to CEO.