Announcing Eamon Molloy's Retirement

If you shop at Hillsdale Farmers’ Market with any kind of regularity, you’ve likely crossed paths with Eamon Molloy. Eamon is our market’s longtime manager, who first took on the role in 2004. He’s friendly, helpful, and seems to somehow know everything there is to know about produce. For many, his name is synonymous with the market. As the season’s change, so do we. Eamon will be retiring as market manager at the end of September 2022.
 
Eamon came to Hillsdale Farmers’ Market with a unique combination of skills, which helped propel our small neighborhood market into the successful venture it is today. With an MBA in business and a background in co-op grocery store management, Eamon knew best practices from spreadsheets to squash. Under his guidance, the market moved locations, expanded vendors, and incorporated beloved community events. More recently, he held the helm through the uncertain times when Covid 19 first emerged, piloting the market through changing guidelines and a changing landscape. Eamon is certainly one of a kind and has left an indelible mark on both our market and Hillsdale as a whole.

When approaching the idea of new management, the board took a moment to be thoughtful. The pandemic showed us all how traditional hierarchical structures had the propensity to stumble, or even fail, should illness or tragedy befall the leader. The board made the intentional decision to divest our market from these structures and embrace a different model of leadership. In response, Eamon’s position has been morphed into two co-market managers, who will share the work of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market daily operations. This new approach allows for more flexibility, more new ideas, and greater opportunities for the market to grow. 

Since August 1, Lacey Waldon and Olivia Spitzer have been promoted to management of the market. Both will be familiar faces, if you have shopped with us this summer. Lacey Waldon has been staff with the market since 2021, and a shopper for nearly twelve years. An active member of the Hillsdale community, she volunteers, participates in the local business association, and is raising her son in Hillsdale. Lacey’s prior training includes business management and banking, a lovely compliment to Eamon’s outgoing skills. Olivia Spitzer started with Hillsdale Farmers’ Market in May, as Eamon’s assistant manager. Coming from a background in event management and carrying a degree in literature, Olivia was eager to take on both operational tasks and market communications.

Lacey and Olivia understand the enormity of taking over leadership from such a veteran market manager. No one can, or will, ever replace Eamon Molloy. The new management, together with the board, hope to continue all of Eamon’s great work in Hillsdale and take the market he shepherded to new heights. Eamon’s last market will be Sunday, September 25th, 2022. Make time before then to stop by, wish him well, and ask him one last question about pickling cucumbers.