Outpost Co-op celebrates Black History Month by recognizing achievement of CEO Ray Simpkins
Photo by Outpost Foods
Outpost Co-op celebrates Black History Month by recognizing the achievement of its CEO Ray Simpkins, who is making an impact within the co-op. Simpkins joined Outpost in May 2023, from the greater Columbus, OH area, where he was most recently the District Manager for Dollar General stores, overseeing a network of locations. He earned a masters of business administration from Strayer University and a bachelor’s degree from Wright State University, both in Ohio.
In honor of Black History Month, Outpost proudly acknowledge the significant contributions of our black employees, including the CEO, whose leadership reflects the diverse and inclusive values that drive our success. Under Simpkins’ leadership, Outpost has achieved growth in profitability, sharing that success with our 22,000 owners through a patronage rebate, and with our union employees through a wage increase.
Simpkins is excited to lead Outpost into a period of renewed growth in a competitive retail food marketplace. With its four neighborhood locations in greater Milwaukee, Outpost has long been a leader in the co-op food movement in southeastern Wisconsin. “Together, we’ll continue to build healthy, diverse, and sustainable communities by offering the largest selection of regionally and locally sourced organic products and creating an engaging shopping experience with greater access to wholesome food.”
About Outpost Co-op Serving the greater Milwaukee area since 1970, Outpost Co-op is a neighborhood grocery store best known for its commitment to local and organic foods. The co-op operates four neighborhood retail locations in Metro Milwaukee and is co-owned by more than 22,200 individuals from Southeastern Wisconsin. Outpost employs nearly 400 people and is a proud union employer represented by UFCW Local #1473. Consistently ranked on the EPA Green Power Partnership’s Top 30 Retail List, Outpost is committed to green energy. One of its core values is being a community-owned business, where anyone can shop and anyone can own a share of the co-op.
