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Co-op Worker Profile:
Jennifer Felitte
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by Hope Perlman
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Assistant finance manager
Jennifer Felitte came to Albany via a Phish tour. She offered some new
friends a ride home in her van, and when she dropped them off here, her
van broke down. She stayed. She traded a summer job in Seattle for a
summer sublet, and by the end of the lease had met her future husband,
and decided to settle here. That was ten years ago. She now lives in
Colonie with her husband Jamie--a former assistant produce manager at
Honest Weight--and their 6-year-old twin daughters Izabella and
Caitlyn, and 3-year old son Miles.
For the past eight years, Jennifer has been an employee of the Honest
Weight Food Co-op. She joined the Co-op and took her first job,
assistant front end manager, at the same time. After five years in that
position, she moved into her current one.
Jennifer grew up in East Texas and moved to Austin as a teen. She loves
Austin, but doesn't miss the summer heat. What she does miss is Barton
Springs, a natural spring in the city of Austin that is open most of
the year and maintains a constant temperature of 68°F. To make up
for that, she spends "almost every waking moment I'm not working"
outside during summer here, taking her family camping and hiking, and
cooking outdoors.
Although Jennifer's college degree is in graphic arts and
communications, and she attended trade school to learn glass blowing,
she is very happy working in finance. "I love numbers," she says. "They
keep my head calm." She enjoys the social environment at Honest Weight,
and loves to work in her upstairs office.
Although the space is crowded and the environment is sometimes noisy,
Jennifer finds it peaceful to concentrate on her tasks, working
independently, but surrounded by people she enjoys. The regular nature
of the work appeals to her. She knows what to expect and how to do it.
She finds her work relaxing, and it allows her to "hit the ground
running" when she gets home and takes over care of their children from
Jamie.
As for Jennifer's plans, she would be happy to work at the Co-op for
many years; but she has a dream to start a preschool. She also plans to
get back to working on glass in her free time. She and Jamie are in the
process of converting their garage into a studio for her.
Jennifer is enthusiastic about the Co-op's upcoming move. She feels the
new building will be a more harmonious space. Although she's aware that
a move can negatively impact a business, she is not worried about the
future of the Co-op. She loves that this is a place where people work
together towards a common goal.
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