Where we are headed matters. If we don’t know where we are going any road will do. A primary responsibility of a board is to define the reason for the organization’s existence. What are we here for? What should be different because we exist? For whom? For a board that uses Policy Governance®, Ends are written policies which define a) results, outcomes or benefits [...]
There has been a resurgence in food co-ops the past several years. People have different reasons for pursuing quality, nutritious, locally sourced food. The recent unstable economy has driven some families to be more selective about what they eat and some share a collective interest in sustaining their own control over their neighborhood businesses. Local co-ops have been enjoying expansions: Weavers Way Co-op, founded [...]
Our series on innovative co-operative organizations in Austin had to cover what is probably the largest and longest-running co-op in central Texas. The Wheatsville Food Co-op began operations in 1976 and has been one of the outstanding features of Austin’s food community ever since. We met with Rose Marie Klee, President of the Board of Directors, to learn more about the history of Wheatsville [...]
Tom Webb, Manager Masters of Cooperatives and Credit Unions at St. Mary's University Halifax, NS, Canada Professor Webb has unique perspectives which he brings to the topic of the Cooperative Difference [chapter 1]. He shares with us his compelling vision for a truly Cooperative Economy [chapter 2]. And poses a challenge to help spread the cooperative model across all sectors [chapter 3]. [...]
Michelle Schry, General Manager People's Food Co-op, LaCrosse, WI
Erbin Crowell, Executive Director Neighboring Food Co-op Association Erbin describes a shift in perspective from "My Co-op" to "Our Co-ops," and helps us see the cooperative landscape and the cooperative economy. He shows the density of co-ops in New England and New York (almost 9.000!), and addresses the potential of cross-sector collaboration. A cooperative decade? Where do we start?
Jake Schlachter & Stuart Reid, Food Co-op Initiative With guest panelists: Laura Theis, Idaho's Bounty Laura Hanson, Stone's Throw Market Shannon Ousley, Frontier Co-op
