Moose Jaw Co-Op's new general manager had a dream to be in Moose Jaw, and now he's getting to live it.

Geoff Anderson said he'd always wanted to be a part of the Moose Jaw Co-op. This, after a career that has seen him go across the province to Tisdale, Humboldt and most recently, the provincial federated co-op office in Regina.

“Moose Jaw was... a dream of mine since 2014,” he said. “Everyone always asked me where I wanted to end up, and I said Moose Jaw, with never a second’s hesitation with where I wanted to be. I just want to thank the board for giving me the opportunity to be here.

Anderson said he likes the small-town feel of the city and said he feels comfortable in smaller cities. Although he’s only been in the city for a few weeks, he’s taken a shine to the community.

“When I look back to the places I love the most, whether it be Carrot River or Davidson, (and) I lived and worked in Melfort for a little while in the 90s, I like the small town feel of Moose Jaw,” he said. “It reminds me of those smaller communities. Really, I look at this as a city with a small town feel.”

Anderson replaces Gerry Onyskevitch in the position after his 28 years with the Moose Jaw Co-op. He felt Onyskevitch left the Co-Op in very good standing.

“He really turned things around during a recession after the 1980s and really grew the retail to what it is,” Anderson said. “It’s certainly close to that $90 million in annual sales, as well as having locations in Moose Jaw and surrounding area.”

The first posting Anderson had as a general manager was in Davidson for three years as a general manager. He was appreciative of the experience he most recently had as a retail advisor for federated co-op in Regina.

“That gave me a lot of experience on governance and operations and getting me set up for Moose Jaw co-op,” he said. “I’m really excited to be here.”