Meet Our Leadership Team

What started with a handful of T-shirts sold from the trunk of his car has grown into one of Northern Michigan's most recognizable brands. Bob Sutherland founded Cherry Republic in 1989 with a simple idea: celebrate everything that makes Michigan's cherry country special while supporting the people and places that make it thrive.

Over the years, Bob has helped grow Cherry Republic from a single product into a company offering more than 170 cherry-inspired products, welcoming guests at stores across Michigan, and reaching customers nationwide through its website and catalog. Throughout that growth, his vision has remained the same: create a business that champions local cherry farmers, strengthens Northern Michigan communities, and helps preserve the region's natural beauty for generations to come.

A lifelong advocate for Northern Michigan, Bob is passionate about sharing the region's story. Whether speaking to community groups, writing, or representing Cherry Republic, he enjoys promoting Michigan's cherry industry, and the people who make the area so special. He also serves on the board of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters and on the Executive Committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, reflecting his commitment to conservation and the state's continued growth.

Outside of work, Bob enjoys spending time with his wife, Stephanie, and their two sons, Colebrook and Hawthorn. He can often be found running, swimming, or biking the same trails and beaches around Glen Arbor that he explored growing up, staying connected to the place that inspired Cherry Republic from the very beginning.

Todd has built his career around finance, problem-solving, and most importantly, the relationships he’s made along the way. He joined Cherry Republic in September 2002 after earning a degree in Finance from Michigan State University and working at General Electric, where he completed the company’s Financial Management Program. 



Todd’s approach to business was shaped early on while working on his dad’s Christmas tree farm, where he learned firsthand both the right and wrong ways to do business. That experience, along with his background in finance, has carried with him throughout his career at Cherry Republic. 



What Todd enjoys most about Cherry Republic is the people. Over the years, he’s built lasting connections and relationships with coworkers that have become one of his favorite parts of being here. He also enjoys finding new ways of doing things and is always looking for opportunities to make things better. 

Outside of work, Todd enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelly, their four kids, and their dog. He loves being at the beach, getting out on the water with family and friends, and staying active. In fact, his family would probably agree that Todd isn't very good at sitting still.

As Vice President of Fulfillment, Roni leads the teams responsible for many of Cherry Republic's behind-the-scenes operations, including Distribution, Manufacturing, Fulfillment, Quality, and Supply Chain. She works alongside talented team members across the organization to ensure the business operates efficiently while supporting future growth. 



Roni's career at Cherry Republic began in Sales and Project Management before relocating to the Empire campus in 2005. Since then, she has played an integral role in the company's infrastructure growth and campus development, helping bring major projects to life, including the Cherry Factory and two large-scale expansions of the Distribution & Fulfillment Center. 



What Roni enjoys most about her work is solving complex challenges and collaborating with teams to develop solutions that deliver immediate results while supporting Cherry Republic's long-term vision. Professionally, she is most proud of the team she works with, crediting their dedication, talent, and camaraderie for making even the busiest days rewarding. 



Outside of work, Roni is an avid gardener with a passion for growing her own food, including maintaining an aeroponic garden throughout much of the year. She also enjoys traveling, reading, solving puzzles, and playing board games - where the fun of the game matters far more than who wins!

For more than two decades, Jason has helped shape the Cherry Republic experience. As Vice President of Sales and Services, he works with the company's retail, pub, and direct sales teams to create the welcoming, memorable experiences guests have come to expect at every Cherry Republic location. 



Jason brings a unique blend of hospitality, retail, and operations experience to his role. He studied psychology at Western Michigan University before earning a degree from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. In 2002, he and his wife, Heather, chose Northern Michigan as the place to call home, and Cherry Republic quickly became the perfect fit. 



Over the years, Jason has helped guide Cherry Republic's growth from a single store into the multi-location company it is today. He's played a key role in launching new concepts like the winery and pub and is especially proud of helping lead the company through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while keeping the team together and positioning Cherry Republic for continued growth. What he enjoys most is creating places and experiences that bring people together, whether that's through retail design, campus operations, or exceptional customer service. 



Outside of work, Jason and Heather stay busy cheering on their sons, Baxter and Sawyer, at sporting events. He also enjoys traveling, playing pickleball and tennis, reading, catching live music whenever he can, and staying connected to the community through his service on the Traverse City Tourism board. And if you ever spot a classic 1968 Volkswagen Beetle around Northern Michigan, there's a good chance Jason is behind the wheel—he's been driving it for more than 30 years and is still amazed there’s not a dent.

As Vice President of Marketing & Impact, Sara leads Cherry Republic's direct-to-consumer business, including the company's website, catalog and mail order business, corporate gifting, and Amazon. Her team also oversees product lifecycle planning—from new product ideas through launch—and stewards the Cherry Republic brand, ensuring every customer experience reflects the company's values and personality. 



Before joining Cherry Republic, Sara spent more than 15 years working alongside Bob's brother, Paul Sutherland, across a variety of businesses and nonprofit organizations, gaining experience in financial management, publishing, fitness, and philanthropy. When Paul retired, she knew she wanted to continue working for a purpose-driven organization alongside great people. Fortunately, Cherry Republic provided exactly that opportunity. 



What Sara enjoys most is the people. She loves working alongside Cherry Republic team members and seeing the passion customers have for the brand. It's especially rewarding to work for a company that creates so many happy memories—and to hear those stories firsthand. 



Sara is especially proud to be part of a company that people genuinely love. Whenever she tells someone she works at Cherry Republic, the response is almost always a smile, a favorite product recommendation, or a memorable story. Being part of that goodwill never gets old. 



Outside of work, Sara enjoys staying active through fitness classes, walking, and spending time outdoors. She's currently working her way through the classics in a neighborhood book club, recently discovered a love for mahjong, and has embraced needlepoint after deciding that knitting simply wasn't one of her hidden talents. 



One thing that might surprise people? Sara's guilty pleasure is Below Deck. She always plans to watch just one episode but somehow ends up happily invested in the yacht drama for the entire evening

For Julie, some of the most meaningful work happens behind the scenes. As Vice President of Administration, she leads Cherry Republic's Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, and Data teams, partnering with departments across the company to help people, processes, and technology work together in support of Cherry Republic's continued growth. 



Before joining Cherry Republic, Julie served as Director of Accounting and Administration for the North American operations of an Italian-based company that developed manufacturing and distribution technology. Working with colleagues across multiple countries and time zones gave her valuable experience leading complex operations while building strong, collaborative relationships. 



What Julie enjoys most about her role is working alongside teams throughout the company to understand their challenges and find practical solutions that make their work easier and more impactful. She's especially proud of the moments that don't always make headlines, like helping a colleague grow in their career, solving a difficult problem as a team, or uncovering an opportunity that helps move the company forward. 



Outside of work, Julie enjoys cheering on her daughter at sporting events and activities, planning family travel adventures, exploring the hiking trails of Leelanau County, and trying out new recipes, even if she jokes that she's not much of a cook. One of her favorite adventures was hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with members of her husband's family, an unforgettable trip filled with breathtaking views, plenty of laughter, and memories she'll always treasure.

Logan oversees the Business Development department at Cherry Republic, which includes the Property Care and Property Development teams, so his work touches a lot of different corners of the company, from retail expansion to campus projects to employee housing. He'd be the first to tell you it's a team effort, but the variety is something he genuinely loves about the role. No two days look the same and getting to collaborate with so many different people across the company is one of his favorite parts of the job. 



Before Cherry Republic, Logan spent over a decade in the hospitality industry, working his way up to Vice President of Sales and Operations. Along the way, he picked up a solid foundation in project management, leasing, and business strategy that carries over into everything he does today. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Ferris State University. 



One thing Logan genuinely loves about Cherry Republic is the culture. It's a company that cares about its people and stands behind its values, and that means a lot to him personally. 



When he's not working, Logan and his wife Mikala spend a good chunk of their free time on the sidelines cheering on his stepson Jayce, who keeps them plenty busy between basketball and soccer. He also takes full advantage of living in northern Michigan, spending his free time fishing, golfing, snowboarding, and hiking.