Governance
Co-op Structure
Co-ops offer a distinct way of doing business. Like many business models, cooperatives are owned by shareholders; however, unlike most private sector businesses, ownership of a cooperative is distributed equally, and members are actually owners of the business.
The pooling of community resources for the benefit of all is a cornerstone of cooperative philosophy. Members contribute a refundable equity payment that allows the business to run and grow. In exchange, members receive discounts, a patronage refund, and/or other benefits, as well as a voice in the co-op’s decisions.
The support and involvement of members ensures that the co-op remains a strong, consumer-run organization. Anyone is welcome to shop at the Concord Cooperative Market’s stores, but our organizational focus is to meet the needs of our members and their households.
Co-op Board of Directors
Our Co-op is governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of a diverse and multi-talented group of individuals. In 2001, the Co-op’s Board adopted a full set of written governing policies, and it now operates under these policies in accordance with policy governance. Our General Manager provides the Board with monthly monitoring reports on all aspects of operations.
The Board is supported by the focused work of committees in the areas of Member Outreach, Finances, and Governance. These committees are always open to input and involvement of member volunteers. The Board of Directors meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month. The meetings, which are open to all members, start at 6:00 pm in the carriage house. The carriage house is located at 30 S. Main Street, it sits back off the street between the brick building next to the Co-op parking lot and Bartlett Home Studio Design. Bartlett Design is located on the corner of S. Main Street and Fayette, and on the first floor of the carriage house. Take the steps between the two buildings and follow the brick path that leads back to the carriage house. Our entrance has a sign on a purple door. We're on the second floor in the office on the left at the top of the stairs.
Apply to be a Board Member
We're looking for a few good board members! We are currently accepting applications. You must be a Co-op member to be considered. We appreciate a variety of candidates that represents the diversity of our membership. Our Board oversees policy, finances, and the future of the Co-op. (The Board does not run the store or determine what products the store carries, etc. This is the responsibility of the General Manager and staff.) The deadine for application is June 1, 2010. Our member-owners will vote for Board candidates at our Annual Elections on October 24, 2010. Click here for the Board Application and directions.
Our Current Board
| Andy Duncan(President) | 10/11 | Dr. Gail Fayre | 10/11 | |
| Chris Licata(V. President) | 10/11 | Nancy Girard | 10/10 | |
| John Warner (Treasurer) | 10/11 | Lisa Wylie | 10/10 | |
| Marcia Thunberg (Secretary) | 10/11 | |||
| Betsy Black | 10/10 | Melanie Waldvogel (Board Admin.) | Staff | |
| Chris Dube | 10/10 | Paula Harris (General Manager) | Staff |
Meet Our Board
Andy Duncan
President
board@concordfoodcoop.coop
My family have been members of the Co-op since we moved to Concord in 1997, and it is both comforting and exhilarating to be part of this growing cooperative venture. Our Co-op is all about good food, healthy living and a vibrant community, and we are also about working together as a cooperative towards common goals. It is an honor to represent the members of Concord Cooperative Market to help strengthen these common goals. Your membership does make a difference.
In addition to cooperative governance, I am active in other community and environmental organizations. Our South End family includes two grade-school children. And I am the co-owner of Building Energy Technologies, an energy efficiency services company.
Term Ends 2011
Chris Licata
Vice President
My desire to serve our Coop comes from a belief that the role of the Coop within our community transcends serving as merely a retail location for natural food. It is essential that the Coop continues to deliver the positive messages that are central to our mission and I look forward to helping the Coop positively influence the lives of it’s members, farmers, employees and community. As President of Blake’s All Natural Foods, a 4th generation Concord-based natural and organic food manufacturer, my work in the natural food industry provides a unique perspective that allows me to relate to the challenges and opportunities that face our Coop. It not only affords me the opportunity to meet with many natural food stores from around the country, it also gives me a great sense of pride in the accomplishments of our Coop and the quality of our incredible staff! I live in Hopkinton with my wife Amy and my six year old daughters Blake and Lucy.
Term Ends 2011
John Warner
Treasurer
I joined the Co-op board because enjoy the high quality and excellent tasting food as well as the focus on local community support and local growers and producers. I am currently retired. I hold a PhD in physics and astronomy, have taught and done research at the University of Minnesota and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. For several years I was Deputy Project Scientist on the Hubble Space Telescope Project and then Program Manager for several other NASA programs. I founded Taunton Technologies, Inc. (later called VISX) in 1986 to design and develop a laser device and procedure to eliminate the need for glasses. This company was successful and that procedure is currently known as LASIK (Laser InSitu Keratomilusis). I enjoy working with small companies with tightly knit goals and an enthusiastic staff. I have been directly involved at the senior executive level with three start-ups during the past 23 years and have supported one other. These experiences have taught me the importance of staying close to the customer, being hands-on and value driven, sticking to the business that the company knows best, and fostering an environment of openness and acceptance of both innovation and the inevitable mistakes.
Term Ends 2011
Marcia Thunberg
Secretary
I am an environmental attorney with three wonderful high/middle school aged children. I have been shopping at the Co-op since it was on South Street and I am thrilled that it has such a visible presence on Main Street. I’ve gardened for 26 years and enjoy quality food-as do most Co-op shoppers. I spent many summer vacations directing a youth camp where we enjoyed the outdoors and focused on ourselves as a community. I sail/cruise, cycle, and run. I have an interest in sustainable living and live in an energy efficient home. I started recycling back in the 80’s when the nearest recycling center was in Wilton. I enjoy passing sustainable living practices on to my children and it is this teaching/outreach effort of the Board that I am most pleased to be involved with. I am looking forward to an exciting term.
Term Ends 2011
Betsy Black
I have been an enthusiastic member of the Co-op since 1985, and I love our store and community. Two years ago, when I was fortunate enough to travel around the country with my partner, Cathy Menard (who has been a Co-op member longer than I have!), we found high spots in towns with food co-ops and low spots where there simply wasn’t decent food to be had. They are called “food deserts” and not surprisingly are in poor rural and urban areas around the country. I am glad to join the Board and to help make good food available in our community, create a lasting institution with decent paying jobs, support the cooperative economy, and support the development of a regional food economy. I own my own business, and one of my primary lines of work is finding and underwriting loans for the Cooperative Fund of New England, a nonprofit lending institution that has been helping grow co-ops for 35 years. I also work with other loan funds throughout the country intent on making their communities better places to live and work for everyone, and I maintain a private life coaching practice. I love to bicycle, walk, and run around Concord and long distances for no apparent reason. I am glad to be serving on the Board of the Co-op.
Term Ends 2010
Chris Dube
I am an attorney at the firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton where I focus on business law matters including structuring businesses, corporate governance, shareholder and member relations, and contract negotiations. As counsel to numerous business enterprises, I work with business leaders and their teams to address both immediate challenges and long-term goals. Success requires thoughtful planning and anticipation of issues, effective communication, and the ability to both negotiate and build consensus. These are all skills that I have worked to develop and that I believe will translate into my being an effective participant on the board. I believe that it is vital for our community to have organizations such as the Co-op promoting healthier lifestyles and facilitating people’s efforts by making natural and organic foods and products available. I was born and raised in New Hampshire and live in Henniker with my wife Tara McCarthy and 13-year-old pound puppy Oscar.
Term Ends 2010
Dr. Gail Fayre
I have shopped at the Co-op for the 15 years that I have in the Concord area. But over the last several years I have been more involved with issues related to how our personal choices lead to larger consequences. This is illustrated in the arena of environmental impact as well as the area of personal health. I feel that that it is important to inform people about how their individual shopping and eating choices impact the environment, the political situations around the world, as well as their families' health. With this information we can make informed decision that can have a positive impact on our future. The power of a community making these positives steps is demonstrated by the members of our Co-op.
I am a family physician, and also serve as an educator for other physicians. Our family has one child remaining at home in her high school years, and two children in college and our eldest is starting his own postgraduate career. We have recently installed a photovoltaic system in our home as well as raising chickens for both eggs and meat, and lambs. We are always looking to learn from and share our endeavors with our community.
Term Ends 2011
Nancy Girard
I have been on the Concord Cooperative Board since 2004. I became involved with the Cooperative before its expansion, worked with staff and other Cooperative members to raise funds and complete the store expansion, and chaired the committee that hired our present general manager. The Concord Cooperative has been growing and becoming a vital part of the greater Concord community and a resource for the people in the region. With this growth has come a greater representation of local vendors, more produce, and great variety in products to the benefit of Cooperative members and the general public. As an environmental attorney, I work for better environmental performance from the regulated community and for recognition of ecosystem balance and the sustainability in our community. I direct a group called the Multi-State Working Group which is a compendium of state, national, and international organizations and governmental entities focused on improving environmental requirements through administrative procedures and state and federal statutory changes and encouraging communities, businesses and government departments to meet and exceed environmental standards. My work-colleagues are from all over the United States and in fact, several Asian and European countries. I contribute locally to the Concord Cooperative Market since my family and I live here. The Co-op is one of the best examples of a vibrant outlet that gives the community the advantage of local products and gives back to the community through education and outreach. And doing it all with an eye toward the environment, sustainability and health, which in turn encourages the productive use of land and maintenance of open space within the state. I am proud of what we, as Cooperative member-owners, have done with our store and excited about the potential for the future!
Term Ends 2010
Lisa Wylie
I have been involved in local agriculture since high school; as an organic grower in backyard and community gardens, a 4-H member, a greenhouse scout for Cornell University, a farm stand manager in Concord, MA and as member of NOFA-NH and NOFA-NY. I own Concord Stage Farm in Weare and grow organic vegetables for my farm stand and local farmer’s markets. One of my biggest concerns is the dwindling number of small farms and the lack of healthy and affordable food available today. As a District Sales Manager for AFLAC, I spend a lot of time working with companies and their employees in the Concord area, and I'm also an active member of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. I love to show and teach my family, friends, and even some clients how food is grown from seed to harvest. Someday, I'd like to have my own 4-H club for kids so they can learn to grow food, and then be able to teach others the same thing. Other interests of mine include cycling, camping, snowshoeing and jigsaw puzzles. The Concord Co-op is a very valuable resource for the people who live in and travel through greater Concord. I would like to help make sure it continues to spread its reach and positively influence the lives of more people each day.
Term Ends 2010
