Stefan Bachofen
<< 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 have a deep appreciation for City Market’s role in connecting Vermonters with locally sourced and healthy foods. I am running for the City Market Board because I believe that I can help City Market build a deeper sense of community between local suppliers and consumers, make local foods more accessible, and improve the in-store experience for patrons, suppliers, and the workforce. I am excited about taking the City Market co-op, its stakeholders, and the local food ecosystems to the next level of community partnership and engagement.
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 offer the Board three skills: consensus building among diverse opinions, General Manager experience from a neighboring food retailer, and experience in building purpose-driven organizations. One of my strengths is mediating
varying opinions and helping groups find consensus and take decisions. I hope to serve on the Board as a consensus builder. Second, I previously spent four years as the General Manager of Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers. This experience has equipped me with insights, problem-solving skills, and empathy to advise on City Market’s strategic operational, human resources, financial, and customer service challenges and opportunities. Third, I hope to apply lessons learned from building purpose-led organizations at Seventh Generation and as a former Board Member and Treasurer of the South Burlington Business Association. I have a personal interest in building organizations grounded in purpose and I connect deeply with City Market’s role in building community through local foods.
3. Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
I spent four years as a Board Member and Treasurer for the South Burlington Business Association where we focused on building a community among our members and the South Burlington business community. Through membership surveys and a willingness to listen to our stakeholder’s needs, we learned what was most important and prioritized initiatives to meet member and stakeholder desires. As a result, our organization grew total membership and helped vitalize South Burlington’s business community.
4. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
I am most excited about the opportunities to help City Market build a stronger community through local foods, such as expanding its digital shopping capabilities, diversifying Membership benefits, enhancing communication with stakeholders (including additional recognition of local suppliers), and opening new stores. As for challenges, I would focus on building a deeper sense of community between local suppliers and consumers. Community is what makes City Market a unique and wonderful institution. I believe a more vibrant and equitable community will help City Market reach new heights and better serve all stakeholders.