General Manager Transition
Open GM Position for Applications
The job will be posted online; information will be shared with Member-Owners and community organizations, and the position summary will also be posted on the Urban Roots website.
Stay Updated
We’re committed to keeping Member‑Owners informed throughout this transition to ensure a smooth and thoughtful process. Please review the communications about the GM transition by clicking the items below.
10/1: Now Hiring for General Manager
Dear Urban Roots Member-Owners
The search for Urban Roots’ next General Manager is officially underway!
As many of you know, Patti has announced her retirement, and we’re beginning the process of finding the next person to lead Urban Roots into its next chapter.
The position is now posted, and we’d love your help spreading the word. If you know someone who might be a great fit for Urban Roots, please share the job posting with them or with your networks. The best candidates often come through the people who know and care about our cooperative.
View the General Manager Job Posting → www.indeed.com/job/general-manager-adb615ba48ac11ff
Our goal is to conduct a thoughtful and thorough search and find a General Manager who is a strong fit for Urban Roots and our cooperative community.
Thank you for helping us get the word out and for being part of Urban Roots. We’re excited about what’s ahead and grateful to have our member-owners along for the journey. To stay up to date on this process, please visit www.UrbanRoots.org/GM-transition.
Sincerely,
Urban Roots Board of Directors
Janelle Price, Amanda Mikels, Lucy Connery, Stephanie Bifano, Maureen Chapman, JD Hartman, Becca Kardas, Tom Liptak, and Pam Rose
8/19: Update from the Board of Directors
Dear Urban Roots Member-Owners,
As you may have heard, Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, General Manager of Urban Roots, will be retiring at the end of this year after 17 years of dedicated service. Her incredible leadership, along with the determination and commitment of our hard-working staff and the support of our Member-Owners, has led our small cooperative to become a thriving garden center.
The GM position will be posted in the fall, to be followed by interviews before the end of the year. The interview committee will be made up of current board members, member-owners, staff, and other community stakeholders. We hope the new GM will begin their role at the beginning of 2027. Patti will play an integral role in the onboarding and training of this person.
As we prepare for this transition, the Board is committed to ensuring a thoughtful, transparent, and community-centered process. Urban Roots has always been strengthened by the engagement of its Member-Owners, and we look forward to keeping you informed as we move through this next chapter.
Please join us in thanking Patti for her service and commitment to making Urban Roots a destination Garden Market. Thank you for your continued support of Urban Roots and for helping our cooperative flourish.
Best,
Urban Roots Board of Directors
Janelle Price, Amanda Mikels, Timothy Hiller, Lucy Connery, Stephanie Bifano, Maureen Chapman, JD Hartman, Becca Kardas, Tom Liptak, and Pam Rose
7/29: Important Update From the General Manager
Dear Urban Roots Member-Owners
It is with bittersweet emotions that I announce that I will be retiring from Urban Roots at the end of this year. It has been an incredibly fulfilling journey working to build our small cooperative into a destination Garden Market. I could not have accomplished this without the guidance of our Board of Directors, the determination and commitment of our hard-working staff, and, of course, the support of you, our Member-Owners and customers.
As with all things that grow, there comes a time when a business is ready and needs to reach for the next level of development. Urban Roots has reached a plateau, and now is the time for a set of fresh eyes and ideas to come in and continue the success of the cooperative. I am excited to share the ideas the Board and I have been working on with the new General Manager (GM) and look forward to seeing where their ideas will take Urban Roots.
The Board of Directors and I are committed to finding the right person to lead and develop our cooperative. The GM position will be posted soon, with interviews to follow. Once the posting is live, the Board’s Succession Planning Committee will provide additional details.
Rest assured that I will continue to support Urban Roots during this transition so that our success is not interrupted. I will be introducing the new GM to our local growers, our suppliers, and collaborators. There are many nuances to this business, and I will afford the new GM any and all support needed.
Thank you all for making my job for the past 17 years a fun and rewarding endeavor. I have been fortunate to have made great friends and connections through Urban Roots. Working with you all to beautify your properties, grow food for your families, and make your world a lot greener has been extremely satisfying. We’ve had a lot of laughs, some tears, and always a desire to further our plant knowledge and concern for our environment. Remember that it’s important to keep planting, to keep growing, and to keep supporting Urban Roots.
Sincerely,
Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, Urban Roots General Manager
*This timeline reflects our best estimate of the transition process. As we move forward, some dates or steps may shift, and we’ll keep Member‑Owners informed of any updates along the way.
Questions? Get in Touch.
The Urban Roots Board of Directors is working closely with the General Manager to navigate this transition. If you have any urgent questions or concerns (or would like to be involved in the search for the new GM), please contact us.