2019 SWANApalooza

Karen Franczyk
Green Mission and Sustainable Facilities Coordinator
Whole Foods/Amazon


Karen Franczyk has spent most of her career in retail working a variety of jobs, and only became focused on sustainability when she and her husband decided to become farmers. They bought an organic farm in Winchendon, Massachusetts, which they named “The Big Red Barn”. After a couple of years as a CSA, they found their niche selling their organic heirloom tomatoes to Whole Foods Market. This relationship led to Ms. Franczyk deciding to work for Whole Foods Market in June 2001. She started as a supervisor in the front end, and worked her way up through the stores, spending the last seven years in operations as a store team leader in both Providence, Rhode Island (Waterman St.) and Newton, Massachusetts (Four Corners). After 12 years in operations, Ms. Franczyk moved to the store development team, where she became the green mission coordinator for the North Atlantic region.

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