Consulting Technologist
designslife
Address:
Portland, OR
joelbrock@columinate.coop
503-735-5008
In the age of COVID community means something different, creating and nurturing your own cooperative community can be challenging, but not impossible. I can assist with this transition by working with you to create exciting and engaging community-building events. Virtually!
Focused on the intersection of people, technology, and design, I will help plan and execute dynamic, interesting, and FUN large-scale community gatherings and events such as Annual Meetings.
Working together we can help make the most of a challenging time by pulling off the best online events and meeting together as possible!
— Joel Brock
Joel is a founding member of the Tech Support Cooperative, a worker-owned IT services co-op working extensively with free and open source solutions. As well he is a busy Consulting Technologist, working to support Co-ops, NPOs, and unions with their IT operations and Strategy.
Joel has 20+ years experience working at the intersection of technology and cooperation. His excitement for solving thorny technical problems is evident and his dedication to bringing technology solutions to cooperative businesses demonstrates a unique commitment to his values.
20+ years in natural foods, retail grocery, alternative health and cooperatives
Retail experience includes store management, buyer, asst. department manager and clerk/stocker positions for Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, and various independent/cooperative grocers
15+ years working extensively with retail technology and Point Of Sale solutions
Project management, installation, training, and support of CORE-POS, a custom-built, open source POS software for co-op. Have successfully delivered over a dozen project to retailers throughout the US and CAN. Co-Founder of the Tech Support Cooperative.
20+ years professional media + graphics production and publishing
Undergraduate degree in Media Arts & Design. Extensive experience with digital publishing for the web including video editing and motion graphics.
5 years event management and production
Fluent on the Zoom meeting and Webinar platform as well as broadcast technology for online streaming. Successfully executed hundreds of events, both in-person and virtual.
During pandemic lockdown Joel sprang into action and supported dozens of co-ops in moving their annual member meeting to a virtual platform. Joel worked closely in the planning of each event to ensure the highest degree of audience engagement. Much was lost in the move to virtual, but Joel brought light, fun and dynamism to what would have otherwise but some awfully dry annual member meetings!
Joel assisted us with a highly contentious member meeting that had to take place online due to COVID restrictions. We developed a fully interactive and customized set of tools to allow our members to self-register, get verified as active member-owners, and then to receive anonymous voting links and tokens, to allow the participants to register their votes live during the actual session, as we walked through the slate of amendments. It was really very interactive and provided great instant feedback on vote counts and the passage of each amendment. We could n’t have done this virtually without Joel’s help!
In our library, you’ll find a wealth of free resources from expert partners whose experience and hard-won victories can help address your specific questions.
