Sam Werbel
Meet Candidate Sam Werbel
1) Why would you like to serve on the City Market Board? What excites you about becoming a Board Member?
I recently began serving on the Board of Directors after applying and running twice before. Serving on this board is an exciting and meaningful way to connect with this leading economic and cultural force in Burlington. Not only is City Market a place of local spending and a wage earner for so many employees, but the Market keeps itself at the leading edge of social and human issues ranging from diversity and gender equality to food access and environmental stewardship. As a lifelong Vermonter I naturally inherited a passion and commitment to local and sustainable food systems and hope to continue serving on the Board to continue that commitment.
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?
My most valuable attribute is likely my curiosity and comfort with asking the low-hanging questions. I have found that without fail, if I have a question about something then usually somebody else also does. My willingness and ease with asking questions and clarifications benefits not only myself, but the group at large.
But beyond my curiosity, as a local small business owner I bring a wide assortment of pertinent skills including financial literacy, a grasp of legalese, and data analysis and interpretation. These hard skills, coupled with balance of softer skills, help make me an effective Board Member.
3) Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
I recently began serving on the City Market Board and that experience in and of itself is naturally the most pertinent one I have. Prior to that I have had a wide variety of work experiences ranging from business ownership to state government to international development to waiting tables and driving a bike rickshaw. Each of these, in some way, has taught and reinforced the value of teamwork and shared accountability.
4) City Market, Onion River Co-op is a learning organization committed to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work. What opportunities do you see as a Board member to support these initiatives at City Market and how would you ensure that the Board's work is grounded in these principles? Describe any prior involvement in JEDI work either personally or professionally.
As a cooperative with over 12,000 members and far more shoppers, by virtue of exposure to the public alone City Market serves at the forefront, like it or not, of our community's engagement with justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. From employment decisions to product placement to community art to formal statements, City Market must demonstrate commitment to JEDI work. As a business owner and community leader I learned so much during the BLM zeitgeist of 2020 and the continued important legacy that faces us. I know that this commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion needs overt, repeated and deliberate at every level of the Co-op's structure from members to the Board to Management to staff.
5) What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
I have no doubt that City Market will continue to engage head-on with the opportunities and challenges of JEDI work, and that commitment is of the utmost importance. We also know that pandemics are not a thing of the past, and the Co-op has hopefully learned from recent years how to be better prepared for similar crises. As a brick and mortar grocery store City Market must remain innovative and contemporary to keep up with the pace of the 21st century and challenges like meal subscriptions, online shopping and more, without forsaking its commitments to local, sustainable systems.