Heritage Co-op’s 96th AGM shares success and equity announcement with members.

Heritage Co-op’s 96th Annual General Meeting was held on April 30, 2025, at the Minnedosa Community Conference Centre. As a cooperative, the AGM is an opportunity for members to make their voices heard by voting on bylaws and incoming Directors sharing their questions and feedback with the Board and management, and learning more about the financial performance of the organization.

Heritage announced that the member equity return is $4.14 million for the 2024 year, of which $2.5 million will be returned to eligible members in the form of cash payouts. This allocation is shared among the membership, based on individual purchases made in 2024. Between 2020-2024, Heritage Co-op is proud to return over $18.2 million in cash to members, representing their continued strong presence in many local Westman communities. “This cash repayment supports the Cooperative Principle of member economic participation,” says Ian Gerrard, Board President, “Returning cash to our members is a boost to our local economy, and in so doing, we strengthen our communities and keep 100% of our profits local.”

In 2024, Heritage Co-op reported total sales of $261 million, which equates to a 5-year average of over $250 million in sales. “As the organization grows so does the complexity of our business,” continues Gerrard. “We have a commitment to our members, communities and team members to remain financially strong while we continue to grow, evolve, and withstand the ever-changing external market.”

CEO Leanne DeVliegere, who joined the Heritage team in December of 2024, was reintroduced and provided an overview of her insights since joining the company. “We are built to last, future-focused, and ready to serve our communities for generations to come”, shares DeVliegere. “Our team and our history are both major assets; we win together, and we have a strong, sustainable future ahead of us.”

The Board of Directors was pleased to welcome back three returning Directors through acclamation; Eric Bjornson, Keith Murray, and Brad Ross. Each of these Directors will serve a three-year term, acting as representatives accountable to the membership of Heritage Co-op. “The importance of Heritage Co-op to our region and members is more apparent now than ever,” says Eric Bjornson, a passionate entrepreneur and community builder based in Erickson, MB. “I’m excited to be returning to the Board of Directors and commit to the ongoing improvement of an already great organization.”

Full AGM Materials may be accessed at the bottom of this webpage or Heritage Co-op members are welcome to request digital copies of the AGM report by contacting Administration at admin@heritagecoop.ca.

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Director Profiles

This year three positions for the Board of Directors were up for election, each for a three year term. A nomination period was held from December 1, 2024 to January 30, 2025 to accommodate advanced voting as made optional through a by law change in 2024. The nomination period was advertised via posters in-stores, on the Heritage Co-op website and in the winter newsletter, on social media (including paid promotions) and on the Brandon Chamber of Commerce website. At the time of closing, three nominations had been received for the three open positions and were therefore elected by acclamation.

Eric Bjornson

Eric grew up in Winnipeg and relocated to Onanole in 2012 where he and his wife Annik are raising their two boys, Jack and Luc. Eric is a passionate entrepreneur and community builder owning several businesses in the Onanole/Erickson area and volunteering for several area non-profits and youth sports organizations.
“Now more than ever, it is apparent how important Heritage Co-op is to the region and our members. I am excited to be returning to the board of directors and the dedicated team committed to the ongoing improvement of this great organization.”
Eric joined the Heritage Co-op Board in 2022 and has served on the Finance, Risk and Audit, Member Relations, and Compensation Committees along with being part of the Executive Committee as Secretary of the board in 2023-2024.

Keith Murray (incumbent)

Keith has lived in the Wawanesa area and been a Heritage Co-op member since 1996. During this time he has worked in education across several rural school divisions as a school principal and superintendent. He has experience working with boards and committees at the local, regional and Provincial level and has consistently worked to ensure that the voices of all stakeholders are heard and valued. During these years he has gained experience in strategic planning, human resources, program evaluation and technology integration.
Keith is currently retired and operates a small woodworking business. He was elected to the Heritage Co-op Board of Directors in 2023 and in that time has served on the Governance Committee, Member Relations/Nominations Committee, Compensation Committee and most recently as part of the CEO Hiring Committee. His interest in being part of the Heritage Co-op board includes the ongoing development of services in all communities where Heritage Co-op has a presence.

Brad Ross (incumbent)

After graduating from University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance, Brad worked in the bank for ten years in six different roles and communities across rural Manitoba. An opportunity in the credit union system allowed Brad to move back to the family farm near Basswood. He has been the General Manager of Erickson, Strathclair, and Minnedosa Credit Unions. The merger of Minnedosa Credit Union and Sunrise Credit Union in 2020 allowed Brad to move to his current role of VP Member Services at Sunrise Credit Union.
The opprtunity to work in a cooperative system for over 25 years has given Brad an appreciation for the cooperative business model and values. He has worked extensively with boards from a management perspective and involved in numerous community organization boards.
Brad was first elected to the Heritage Coop Board of Directors in 2022 and currently holds the position of Board Secretary, Chair Governance Committee and is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee. Brad looks forward to continuing to contribute to the community and the Heritage Coop Board of Directors.