Team CGA had the pleasure of spending the day with Board Chair Dennis Darling in his hometown to visit his family business, Foods Etc. On a sunny February morning, Dennis greeted us at the Foods Etc. office in Clearlake. It wasn’t long before we were joined by Dennis’ wife and co-owner of Foods Etc., Ruth Darling, and Andrew Pierson, the Darling’s son-in-law who will take over the family business along with their daughter, Kori, when the pair retires next year. 

From there, Dennis, Ruth, and Andrew took us on a tour of their immaculate store, introduced us to their longtime employees, and told us about the many ways Foods Etc. supports the local community. During our visit, we also learned about the strong relationship Foods Etc. has formed with local elected officials. It quickly became clear that the Darlings are known for going above and beyond for the community of Clearlake. Whether it be emergency response, sponsoring local sports team, donating holiday turkeys, or running holiday charity drives, the Darlings and their store are certainly a pillar of the community.