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Introductory Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence Technology for Boards of Directors

By |2023-12-08T10:39:28-05:00September 25th, 2023|

Hether Jonna Frayer interviewed Todd Wallace, Columinate's board president, about AI. Hether: Thanks for agreeing to do this interview on AI technology and how it could be used to support the work of governance! I'm getting the sense from the conversations that I've been having that it is a wide-ranging topic. Where would you like to start? Todd: Thanks for asking me to have the conversation. As you know, it is a topic that I've been interested in since last year, especially as applications like ChatGPT have garnered more attention and scrutiny in the mainstream media.

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Marketing in the Co-op Matrix

By |2023-08-29T15:59:08-04:00August 29th, 2023|

The board and general manager need to become literate around the quantitative as well as the qualitative aspects of the marketing field. Marketing is often at the top of the list of operational tasks that become part of the discussion at meetings of the board of directors. Topics can range from the quality of the marketing to the board feeling it’s not plugged in enough when engaging with owners through marketing channels. Marketing issues are often of concern—whether warranted or not—to boards and individual directors.

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Award to Rebecca Torpie: Top Women in Grocery

By |2023-07-10T17:07:17-04:00July 10th, 2023|

The Progressive Grocer Top Women in Grocery (TWIG) is a prestigious award giving industry recognition to grocery retail leadership, and this year's list includes one of Columinate's own, Rebecca Torpie. TWIG awards are granted annually to a generous number of women in a huge and diverse industry, from team leaders and store managers to senior executives. The 2022 awards were announced in June 2023.

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Welcome! Lisa Malmarowski and Pam Mehnert, Flying Squirrel Milwaukee LLC

By |2023-06-27T14:59:57-04:00June 27th, 2023|

Sometimes the road to Columinate is a direct line, and sometimes it’s a leisurely path with many twists and turns. For Lisa Malmarowski and Pam Mehnert of Flying Squirrel Milwaukee LLC, joining Columinate has been a logical extension of the work each of them has been doing at Outpost Natural Foods in Milwaukee. They have been sharing their skills with fellow cooperators for years, putting into practice the cooperative principles of education and cooperation among cooperatives.

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For Co-op General Managers: Unpacking Total Compensation

By |2023-07-25T16:33:40-04:00June 27th, 2023|

You can compare your co-op’s general manager (GM) compensation with over 100 others in the Columinate Compensation Database. And the more co-ops that use the database, the more useful this tool will be for all co-ops. If a co-op GM has not already registered for the database, they can do so by going to compensation.columinate.coop and following the prompts. If the co-op is a member of NCG, database registration is free.

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Jeanie Wells’ Mighty Community Markets Wins Innovation and Achievement Award

By |2023-06-19T17:47:05-04:00June 19th, 2023|

Independent grocers and co-ops face formidable challenges to survival, from WalMart to dollar stores, while often lacking the resources they need. Columinate's Jeanie Wells is providing these retail operations with essential skills and tools. At the June 2023 CCMA conference, Wells' Mighty Community Markets (MCM) training program was held up to its national audience as an outstanding example of cooperative innovation and achievement. (Go [...]

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David Cruz Ramirez: Translating, a Catalyst for the Common Good

By |2023-06-21T14:48:51-04:00May 22nd, 2023|

“The movement toward housing co-ops is very important for low-income and underrepresented communities. It excites me to be able to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical way.” David Cruz Ramirez learned early the lessons of being resourceful and adaptable. And now, his translation skills and organizing experience are broadening the reach of Columinate. Cruz, bilingual from childhood, was born in Mexico City, raised in northern California, and loves to travel. When I caught up with him to interview for this article, he was in his sister’s smoothie shop and buying the warm clothes he needed to take his dad for a birthday trip to Anchorage, Alaska.

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Introducing L. A. (Ahzjah) Simons: Diversifying the Co-op Ecosystem

By |2023-06-21T14:49:18-04:00May 16th, 2023|

I was born to Jamaican parents in Hartford, Connecticut, and later migrated south with a company (the food retail group Ahold), landing in Ellenwood, Georgia. I was working as a commercial property accountant. My husband and I met in Connecticut during our music days as writers, performers, producers, and recording artists on the reggae scene. After our first son was born, we continued to produce and record music, literally changing diapers between recording tracks. Creating music is still a love for hubby and me, but now, creating in our home studio, it's more of a solace for me and personal therapy for both of us. We've also included cooking in our therapy toolkit. After almost forty years together, each moment is precious, and we're making the moments count. My dad has passed on, but my mom is about an hour away and loving life. Our sons are both young adults now and are amazing human beings. And I love to write; I'd love to publish a couple books one day.

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