2019 Board of Directors Election

1. Why are you interested in running for this board?

I’m interested in running for this board to make an impact on our community by applying my professional experiences in food, agriculture, and finance.

2. Briefly summarize what professional, leadership, and/or volunteer experience uniquely qualifies you to serve on the board.

For the past three years, I’ve been involved in the founding, funding, and formation of a startup focused on professionalizing the specialty agriculture supply chain. It has allowed me to draw on the culmination of my ten-year career arc across food and agriculture in a fast-paced atmosphere working alongside serial entrepreneurs in which I’ve applied my experiences, collaborative work style, and structural approach to help guide an organization with tremendous growth.

3. Please describe your experience in one or more of these areas: Socially & Economically Sustainable Business Practices; Diversity & Inclusivity; Local Food Systems; Community Engagement; Member Education & Education; Finance

The primary experience I’d bring as a board member would be centered around finance. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Finance and an MBA, my academic experience has been paired with practical real-world experience by being involved in building and operating a business from scratch. In that academic financial experience, I’ve studied the cooperatives: how they are the different than other organizational structures and the interstices of cooperative finance.

Secondarily, I’d be bringing with me experiences in Sustainable Business Practices. As a board member, I will bring with me both my recent experiences in building sustainable supply chains and previous experiences re-working existing supply chains to provide greater visibility to sustainability, animal welfare, and economic drivers.

4. In your opinion, what is the role of the co-op in the community?

Cooperatives historically have existed to address market failures: either supply or demand. Mississippi Market operates on the supply side, bringing natural and organic alternatives for a variety of products to its members and the community at large. It can be as simple as that, but there are other secondary roles it needs to play that are core to Rochdale principals: education and the sustainability of the community. Education is straight forward. Sustainability of the community should be focused on growing access to the products and services the cooperative offers.

5. What is your vision for Mississippi Market’s future?

Growing the community.

6. What challenges do you think the co-op will face in the future? How could the co-op overcome these challenges?

More traditional retailers are offering a similar set of products at better economies of scale. The co-op will need to differentiate through education, engagement, and experiences that sets itself apart.

7. Tell us about your favorite co-op food, and how you like to enjoy or share it.

I love the meat department, particularly the different varieties of brats that they offer. Grilling brats with friends, enjoying time outside is the best way to enjoy and share.

1. Why are you interested in running for this board?

As a local community member, I am invested in seeing Mississippi Market succeed. A successful co-op goes hand in hand with a healthy community, and I want to play a part in helping my community realize its full potential. Serving on the board would be an incredible opportunity to grow as a leader, learn, and meet new people who will challenge the status quo and bring about long-term change. In addition, my unique set of experiences, skills, and connections would help diversify and add new perspective to the current board.

2. Briefly summarize what professional, leadership, and/or volunteer experience uniquely qualifies you to serve on the board.

For the past nine years, I have held various positions in nonprofit program coordination and management, and eight of those years working in the Twin Cities food system. My experience ranges from working with small farmers on local food production to government-run hunger relief programs, which has given me a feel for the challenges and opportunities that exist on both ends of the food chain. Working in the food and farming sector in the Twin Cities has also allowed me to connect and partner with an array of food-focused movers and shakers, relationships which I would be excited to bring to the table as a board member. Throughout my career I have also gained relevant experience in evaluation, strategic planning, and financial management.

3. Please describe your experience in one or more of these areas: Socially & Economically Sustainable Business Practices; Diversity & Inclusivity; Local Food Systems; Community Engagement; Member Education & Education; Finance

As mentioned above, my career thus far has been working in Local Food Systems. As the daughter of a baker and a gardener, I grew up eating plenty of good food, and became interested in the environmental, economic, and social elements of food after moving away to college. I volunteered on farms, grew my own garden, and found my first professional job at a food bank. Second Harvest Heartland exposed me to the realities of hunger, food insecurity, waste, and government subsidized solutions. After two and half years of working in emergency hunger relief, I found myself hungry for a more proactive solution. This led me to Big River Farms, where I have worked for the last five years.

At Big River Farms I exponentially deepened my understanding of our local food system. For the past five years at Big River Farms, I’ve worked closely with small-scale farmers, primarily immigrants and people of color, as they learn to produce, market, and distribute fresh, organic produce. I’ve learned about the enormous roadblocks that stand in front of them, and seen their willpower to continue to farm, no matter what they’re up against. I have learned that our food system is not set up to promote Diversity and Inclusivity, and that it is essential that we work together to change that. The inequities in healthy food access and in farming point to a need for community-based solutions and policy reform, and I would be excited to help Mississippi Market determine their role in this change.

4. In your opinion, what is the role of the co-op in the community?

I believe the co-op plays a crucial role in the community. It educates and engages the community in their local food system by providing an entry point for consumers to try out local products; learn the stories of the individuals who created the products; and understand the importance of buying local, organic, and natural. The co-op is an incredibly important market for small-scale growers and makers, with its unique ability to purchase seasonally, on a small scale, and pay a fair price. The co-op stimulates the local economy by keeping dollars local, providing fair-wage job opportunities, and investing in community-led initiatives. The co-op is also a unified voice for its members and can help organize to lead change.

5. What is your vision for Mississippi Market’s future?

My vision for the future of Mississippi Market is for it to continue to play the important role described above, while continually adapting to reflect the changing needs and values of the community. The co-op must continue to grow to reach new audiences to become more reflective of the greater community, and to provide a greater base of customers to support local vendors. In order to achieve this growth, the co-op will need to form new and deepen existing relationships with partner organizations, businesses, and individuals.

6. What challenges do you think the co-op will face in the future? How could the co-op overcome these challenges?

As an organization that goes against the grain, the co-op will face many challenges ahead! Increased competition from large-scale, industrial food producers that claim the organic and natural labels will continue to draw co-op customers away with lower price points. The solution to this challenge is to continue to educate our community in creative ways about the difference between these products and shopping at the co-op. Building stronger relationships and understanding between local food producers and consumers is a role the co-op can play. The co-op can also help inform its members and advocate politically for more support systems for small, local farmers and makers which will increase their ability to compete.

7. Tell us about your favorite co-op food, and how you like to enjoy or share it.

Buddy’s honey peanut butter, straight out of the jar by the spoonful!

1. Why are you interested in running for this board?

I was the Financial Manager for Mississippi Market for sixteen years. I retired in February of 2016. I’m running for a second term because I still believe the Market is an important and valuable asset to the three neighborhoods that its stores reside in – one of them being my neighborhood – and I want to do all I can to assure the Market’s continued success.

2. Briefly summarize what professional, leadership, and/or volunteer experience uniquely qualifies you to serve on the board.

For 16 years I was the Market’s Financial Manager, retiring in 2016. I have been on the board for three years, serving as board secretary last year. Before joining the Market’s staff in May of 2000, I worked in public and private accounting in Saint Paul. I have a BS degree in Accounting from Winona State University. I passed the CPA exam in 1983, though I am no longer an active certificate holder.

3. Please describe your experience in one or more of these areas: Socially & Economically Sustainable Business Practices; Diversity & Inclusivity; Local Food Systems; Community Engagement; Member Education & Education; Finance

I have served as a director and treasurer of Shared Capital Cooperative (formerly the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund).  Shared Capital Cooperative is a national CDFI loan fund that connects co-ops and capital to build economic democracy. Working with capital invested by the cooperative sector and its allies, we provided financing for the expansion and startup of cooperatively owned businesses and housing throughout the United States. I also represented the Market on the Selby Area Business Association’s Board and served as treasurer of the organization for several years. SABA’s mission was to promote business and community in our Selby/Dale store’s neighborhood.

4. In your opinion, what is the role of the co-op in the community?

I think the Market’s role at each location is to be a great supplier of locally sourced, high-quality natural food products; a terrific employer of neighborhood residents; and a respected member of the business and social communities where our stores live.

5. What is your vision for Mississippi Market’s future?

My vision for future growth does not include new stores. It does, however, include growing our member/owner base and participating in and supporting community activities. I would also envision updates/remodels – principally at our oldest store at Selby/Dale – staff enrichment and education, and an expanding selection of new local product and vendors.

6. What challenges do you think the co-op will face in the future? How could the co-op overcome these challenges?

Firstly, conventional grocers have discovered the market for “natural”, and I think they are competing directly with the natural foods co-ops all over the Twin Cities. Secondly, these same grocers are competing with the Market for experienced staff. Our co-op needs to offer our member-owners and all shoppers the best experience and the best product selection possible. And, we need to be sure we take care of our staff with competitive pay and benefits, opportunities for advancement, and continuing education experiences.

7. Tell us about your favorite co-op food, and how you like to enjoy or share it.

We love the Market’s roasted whole chickens. We like them because we get several meals – chicken and mashed potato, then chicken salad, then chicken and rice or noodle soup.