Brian Guy
Why would you like to serve on the Board of Directors of the Onion River Cooperative?
I would like to serve on the Board for three main reasons: common values, community strength, and food’s social importance. First, the mission and values of the Onion River Cooperative align with my own values. As a former Co-chairperson of the Board at a co-op in Eugene, Oregon, I have the experience to understand both the core principles of cooperatives as well as what effective Board service requires. Secondly, I would like to serve in order to strengthen the connection to my new local community. It is very important to me as an individual, a new Vermont resident and a parent of two young children that I develop strong relationships with my neighbors. Finally, I believe our food provides not just physical but also social nutrients. Food deeply connects us, transcending language and tradition. This was as obvious to me at meals in Senegal, Italy, or China as it was in Chicago, Atlanta, or Vinalhaven, Maine. City Market is much more than a great grocery store and the people who serve (quietly and assiduously) on the Board help ensure it continues on that path. I want to serve because it is incredibly important work, done with and for incredible people.
The work of the Board is not operational- that is, it does not deal with the daily operations of the store. Instead, the Board deals with the overall policies that identify and guide the mission of the Cooperative. How will you stay focused on the larger vision, without being distracted by the day-to-day operations of the store?
The appropriate distinction between the work of the Board of Directors and the operational staff is very clear to me. Serving for 4 years as a Board Director and Co-Chair at a Childcare Cooperative in Eugene, Oregon, was an amazing education. I learned first hand the importance of developing a vision supported by bylaws and policies that both empower the operational staff to do their best work and simultaneously allow the Board to oversee, assess and keep management accountable, all with the best interests of the members in mind. We are lucky that the Onion River Co-op has a General Manager and staff who work so hard and so well together -- I am confident and happy to let them do what they do best. Of course, if I want a day-to-day operational fix, I do member-work!
What strengths and skills would you bring to the work of the Cooperative's Board?
In addition to my previous cooperative board experience, I have two main attributes that I can offer the Co-op as a director.
1) Professional Training and Experience: I am trained in qualitative and quantitative analysis, have managed budgets, and have an eye for detail and accuracy in information, and I am not afraid to ask the tough questions when needed. I think a growing cooperative needs a Board that can both understand and analyze complicated information as well as communicate well with itself, staff and the member community.
2) Proficient Communication: I am lucky to have had the opportunity to conduct interviews in foreign countries, teach undergraduates about the political and humanitarian crisis in Darfur, present business and academic findings, lead volunteer trainings, and work one-on-one with decision makers. To do this requires the ability to anticipate the needs of an audience, but more importantly the patience and attention to truly listen and the flexibility to respond to new information. While the Board is usually not the public face of a Co-op, a high level of communication is needed to understand the needs of the membership and make certain that their values are expressed in the organization.