Board Update
Your Board of Directors is beginning the new year with enthusiasm and a common sense of purpose as we welcome new board members, attend important trainings and fully explore a possible store expansion.
We appointed two new board members to fill two one-year terms. I would like to welcome Dan Maynard-Wyzik and Kate Hickey to the co-op family!
Dan Maynard-Wyzik owns (with his wife) Nature & Nurture Creative here in Keene. He represents the millennial generation and through his marketing business, has his fingers on the pulse of the natural food industry. Kate Hickey is the Program Manager at Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship. Her project management skills will be instrumental as we go through the process of analyzing the feasibility of expansion. The board is grateful to have these two talented people join us.
In early January, your board members attended the Cooperative Development Board Leadership (CBLD) training here at Keene State. Our new members went to a training about the history and guiding principals of cooperatives. Your more seasoned board members attended a training on Board and General Manager relations. The most important job of your board is “to hire, compensate, delegate responsibility to, and hold accountable a general manager.” This CBLD training was fun and informative and the best insight of the day was the realization that we have a highly functioning board!
The next few months will be busy and expanding our store is top on the list. Monitoring important decision points, understanding and deciphering the financial pro-forma, and monitoring internal and external readiness are just a few of our tasks around this expansion. We have two upcoming Input Sessions on the evenings of February 20 and March 8 being held at the Hannah Grimes Center for all of you who wish to learn more and offer input.
We will also begin our recruiting process for new board members, plan our board retreat with managers in April, initiate the annual audit and oversee the success of our present store. Phew, that is a lot of work! I am confident our current board is up to the task. We have a dedicated, thoughtful and talented group of board leaders. If you know or see any of them in the store, say hello and offer your appreciation, they deserve it!
If you are just learning about our possible store expansion now, click here to learn more.
If you are just learning about our possible store expansion now, click here to learn more.
