Rubin Jennings
<< 2021 Board of Directors Elections
1. Why would you like to serve on the City Market Board? What excited you about becoming a Board Member?
I currently serve on the City Market Board. I want to continue serving on the City Market Board because my opinions and thoughts matter. Shortly after I began serving on the City Market Board GM John gave me a tour of the City Market store. I met employees, staff, and administration. The tour included a thorough walk through of the entire Co-op. I walked through the selling floor aisles where groceries and products are displayed. I was not familiar with some products and those products were described to me. I was asked for my thoughts and experiences on how to create a more inviting product offering to encourage more culturally diverse interest through product presence.
As the tour continued, I visited the receiving and refrigeration where food and food products arrived for storage. I am happy to serve on the City Market Board because of the thinking and process involved in keeping our foods, snacks, and groceries fresh and aesthetically pleasing prior to our purchase and consumption. During my time of serving on the City Market Board I am happy to be involved with the process of talking and contributing with others on the board as we develop ideas.
2. Please describe any professional skills you have that will help you to be an effective Board Member. How would you help the Board to balance the business needs of a $50 million business with the need to meet our Global Ends as a community-owned cooperative?
I have chosen public service as a career. I have served in public service for more than 34 years while I constantly learn the meanings of listening and hearing. Some people describe what they need, want, and expect from their individual and family Co-op experience. I want to be helpful in the City Market Board to balance the needs of a $50 million business and the Global Ends as a community-owned cooperative. I hope to help by using my public service skills of listening, and hearing. patrons, potential patrons, and Board Members have in the past and will continue to describe their expectations, needs, and wants, in the City Market Co-op I want to participate in voice at the table/ZOOM.
My professional skills in learning through active listening and conversational contributions can be a helpful contribution on the City Market Board. I shop at City Market and I care about where my food is grown or raised, the soil my food is grown in, the feed my food is fed, safe-clean- well lit environment to purchase my groceries, a welcome and friendly City Market environment.
3. Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
I learned about City Market when I moved to Vermont. Since my awareness I have visited several food co-ops in many towns and villages across Vermont. I have learned that each co-op has its own personality unique to where it is located. I have volunteered at community food banks and community food shelf locations. I recall speaking with visitors as they turned away from fresh vegetables and instead chose vegetables in processed and packaged form. While some people did not have access to cook, or store the fresh vegetables once cooked. Many of the people I spoke with did not know how to cook the fresh vegetables, what ingredients, flavors or otherwise to make a palatable dish. That is why I appreciate learning about the Community Teaching Kitchen located inside City Market.
4. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
I see great opportunities in the City Market bulk section with dried fruits, nuts, and grains. I see opportunities in adding culture and diversity to the opinions, thoughts, and discussions already present on the City Market Board. I imagine challenges during COVID19 and its variants. I see challenges in deciding which Burlington City Market location to visit.