Profile

John Dolman has been associated with Santos for over 15 years, the past 6 as its CEO or as he describes it “the vision holder”. Santos, a well loved iconic natural health food group in the Byron region of NSW grew in 1970 from a simple delivery truck providing food basics to the “alternates” of Byron Shire to a multi million dollar enterprise owned by many local stakeholders.

Santos’ purpose is to provide many needs to its community, the chief being a connection to the best, most natural foods and health. Santos also acts as a cultural focus, an educational source, a significant wage payer & when appropriate, allocates financial returns to its stakeholders. It is working within these intentions that Santos is responsive and integrated with its community.

John believes that his role is to highlight the deepest aspirations of our community and then to steer Santos in that direction. Our journey has encompassed natural medicines, low packaging, unprocessed foods, organic, GMO free and locally grown foods. It is our goal to learn and inform about being responsible ‘conscious consumers’.

He sees that responsible businesses can assist in helping us re-learn the skills of community building. A dynamic inclusive community is the protection we need from the vagaries and dysfunctions in our society and to recognise that even in our cities, communities exist and need to be supported. He is a still evolving baby boomer and lives in Mullumbimby , northern NSW.