Welcome to Our Newest Team Members!

I am excited to be joining the INFRA team as a Promotions and Merchandising Advisory Specialist. I started working in natural foods in 2001, in Aurora, Colorado. I learned the importance of impactful merchandising and capturing the customers’ attention with displays and storytelling. I am a grocery nerd and I love scoping out new stores, seeing food trends come and go, and genuinely get excited about branding, category sets, and execution. I look forward to getting out in the field and meeting our members all over the West and helping them drive their goals and support their communities.

BRADEN FLORES

Promotions

& Merchandising Advisory Specialist

bflores@infretailers.com

In my previous role as a Regional Sales Manager, I led a team in Southern California assisting retailers with merchandising and sales opportunities. This led me to discovering more about INFRA and the work they do supporting independent retailers. My passion for supporting local communities, food equity, and natural and organic foods made it easy to align my core values with the mission and vision of INFRA. Being a part of this organization is exciting and I feel privileged to me here.

I was born and raised in San Diego, CA and love being in the water. I grew up surfing, skateboarding, and all things “outdoors.” I lived in Denver, CO for 17 years, where I found my love of grocery retail and natural and organic foods. I love music of all genres, am an avid reader, and enjoy spending as much time outside as I can. I moved back to the Southern California area about six years ago to be nearer to my family, and love being back in the water, on the trails or slopes, and in the desert (all in the same day if I want!) again. When I’m not working, I’m probably checking out a farmers’ market, hanging out with family, wandering the aisles of a “new to me” grocery store, or working on any number of home projects

Hello – I am very excited to be joining INFRA as an Executive Assistant. I bring a variety of work experience to the table, with time spent in state government and small business, but clear communications, supporting others, and keeping things organized have always been things that I enjoy and take pride in.

I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and came to Minnesota to attend college at the University of Minnesota. I currently live in St. Paul with my husband and daughter where we enjoy spending time outside, exploring all the new restaurants the Twin Cities has to offer, and travelling as much as we can. We have been lucky enough to visit a few countries in Europe and Asia, and even spent a year and a half living in Shanghai, China. Our daughter currently attends a full immersion Mandarin language school in St. Paul, so her Mandarin language skills have quickly outpaced mine.

DAWN EGBERT Executive Assistant degbert@infretailers.com

I’m excited to have the opportunity to become a part of the natural foods industry, and to be a part of such a positive, mission-driven organization. I look forward to building my own personal awareness and growth around sustainable and healthy food as I support the INFRA Board, leadership, and members.

TOM SCOTT Member Business AdvisorLarge Format tscott@infretailers.com

Hello, I’m very excited to join the INFRA team. I’ve been in the retail grocery business for 49 years and have worked in too many stores in too many capacities to count over that time. I hope to bring this experience to bear in helping our retailers maximize their sales, profitability, and impact on their communities.

I began my career in the grocery business in 1974 as a box boy for Alpha Beta Stores in Riverside, California, working there through high school and college. After graduation I worked for a regional CPA firm for two years. In 1986, I became the CFO for Redwood Empire Markets, an independent grocer that operated two stores in Sonoma County. In 1988 I was hired as the General Manager of Oliver’s Market. After 27 years, I retired in 2015 as Vice President and CEO for Oliver’s Markets, which now owns and operates four supermarkets in Sonoma County, California. Oliver’s focuses on food produced in Sonoma County and features high quality perishables and a wide assortment of natural and conventional groceries. The National Specialty Food Association recognized Oliver’s with their Outstanding Retailer Award in 2005 and 2013.

After retiring, I opened a small consulting practice in the San Francisco Bay Area, assisting independent supermarket operators in California and Wyoming. I took the job of SVP/General Manager for one of my clients, Jackson Whole Grocer, a former INFRA Member. I worked at JWG from 2018 to 2020, when Jackson Whole Grocer sold to Whole Foods at the end of 2020.

When not working, I enjoy hiking, cooking, traveling, and playing with my two young grandsons.

Farewell to Our Fearless MarCom Director

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the departure of our Director of Marketing & Communications, Erica Schulte King. Erica has been an integral part of our team for over 10 years, and her contributions to INFRA have been immeasurable.

During her tenure at INFRA, Erica has played a vital role in shaping our brand and elevating our communications strategy. Her dedication to our mission and vision has been unparalleled, and her impact on our organization will be felt for years to come.

As Erica moves on to new opportunities, we wish her all the best and know that she will continue to make a positive impact wherever she goes. We are grateful for the time she spent with us and the many contributions she has made to our organization.