By championing the idea that doing good in the world and growing a financially successful business is not mutually exclusive, Tony Bedard has been instrumental in realizing Frontier Co-op’s stated purpose; that “Doing Good, Works.” Tony started his career with Frontier Co-op as Head of Operations in 1991 and became its CEO in 2003. Under his leadership, Frontier Co-op grew from $36.5 million in net sales to $235.9 million in 2023 and contributed more than $10 million to philanthropy worldwide.
A leading manufacturer of globally sourced and sustainably produced herbs, botanicals, and plant-based products, Frontier Co-op is committed to sourcing high quality products while creating life-changing opportunities for its growers, employees, and communities. From their facilities in small-town Iowa to sourcing communities around the globe, Tony has dedicated his 30-year tenure at Frontier Co-op to growing a purpose-driven cooperative that maximizes value and positive impact in the communities it serves.
Tony’s commitment to ensuring that Frontier Co-op has a lasting, positive impact on its partners led to the formation of the Well Earth impact sourcing program. Through this program, Frontier Co-op has led dozens of community and business building projects around the globe, including a recent collaboration with the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council and USAID’s Cooperative Development Program.
For Frontier Co-op, doing good starts internally. To address systemic challenges related to employment and economic mobility, Tony spearheaded the Breaking Down Barriers to Employment program implementing second chance hiring practices. Alongside partners, they designed an apprenticeship program to provide training needed for success at Frontier Co-op or other manufacturing companies. Since its inception in 2018, the company has adopted and advocated for second chance hiring practices and built out a transportation program to support their employees. To date, 20% of Frontier Co-op’s production employees have been hired through their Breaking Down Barriers to Employment program.
With a global vision and a personal dedication to creating positive impact through the cooperative business model, Tony’s leadership at Frontier Co-op exemplifies doing good by people and planet.