Gloria sits with Lori and Christa, former leaders at CPW who returned to celebrate her.

After two decades, we’re giving a fond farewell to a CPW legend and a dear friend- the one and only Gloria. Starting 2006, her last day was April 22nd. She began in the early 2000’s picking orders for the former Roots & Fruits cut fruit company, joining the sales team at CPW when the businesses merged. Since day one she has built countless genuine, trusting relationships with everyone lucky enough to work with her. The announcement of her departure inspired an outpouring of care, support, and well-wishes from all directions. After awarding her a CPW Lifetime Achievement Award, past & present colleagues, business partners, and family gathered and honored her with stories of gratitude for everything she is, and everything she contributed to the culture of care at CPW.

While dedicating the Lifetime Achievement, Warehouse Director Joleen said “Always willing to lend an ear, help with a project, or support her coworkers, and she has raised four incredibly caring, compassionate, hardworking children who have been pillars of CPW’s warehouse team.” A mother of four, all of Gloria’s kids have been employed at CPW at one point or another, in instrumental positions from pulling orders to managing warehouse operations.

“You brought such care and warmth in making me feel welcome and a part of the CPW community. Right away I felt like ‘wow, this is a place that has care’.” said one coworker when first joining the team.

Eleanor, who has worked closely with Gloria for nearly 20 years and has gotten to know her well, said “She really embodies… a loving warmth. That really translated onto all of her accounts… to all the customers that she worked with, and to all of us as coworkers.”

A longstanding customer from Duluth’s Whole Foods Co-op described her as a mentor in his early days of learning the produce world, telling of “numerous surprise visits to the warehouse where I called her from the parking lot to let her know I was there, and countless times talking produce, family and life”. She brought a genuine sense of professional happiness and a relationship outlasting many in his own workplace. He called working with Gloria “a constant source of professional guidance, diligent help and above all warmth and kindness.”

Similarly, a former manager described her as a friend to everyone she encounters. “Your coworkers and your customers are going to miss the friend that you are, and the care that you give.”

The Sales Department posing outside the warehouse in 2015.

She exuded calm professionalism, even when dealing with the most difficult personalities, including one produce buyer who infamously either barked her name into the phone, or joyously spelled it out in song to the classic song, made famous by The Doors.

In some ways, it’s hard to imagine CPW without Gloria’s steadfast, thoughtful presence and lifetime of produce distribution knowledge. As one partner aptly put it- “Gloria is the embodiment of CPW”. Day in and day out, Gloria has set the bar for the exceptional personalized customer service CPW has become known for.

CPW would quite simply not be where we are without her, and we’re deeply grateful for her time, dedication, and legacy.

Gloria's Goodbye