Board Elections 2018: The Candidates

All candidates have provided written answers to a series of questions, which can be read by clicking on the names below. Responses were limited to 250 words. The candidates have also recorded video statements, which are also embedded below. When you're ready, don't forget to visit the online ballot to vote! (Login required.)

Olga Corrias Hancock

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

My father was a shepherd in Italy. The only reason he was able to sustain our family and do what he loved most was because he became a vendor to a local dairy co-op. The powerful impact that this co-op had on many family-owned businesses is still deeply impressed in my memory. When I shop at Weavers Way, I feel that I support people who, like my father, do what they’re passionate about and focus on delivering the best products possible to consumers.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

I am a member of Coop Adriatica, the largest Italian consumer co-op. I grew up in a poor agricultural society; I know what it means for a family to balance a budget while eating healthy, locally grown food. I have a degree in Statistics and an MBA, am a past-member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineering Chicago Board and have worked professionally with many development boards.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Short-term, Weavers Way must meet traffic goals in Ambler and transform new members into frequent customers. Long-term, Weavers Way must innovate to succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

I’ve volunteered for SME, the Night Ministry, Andersonville Farmers’ Market and the International Employee Group at Princeton, and I was co-founder of the Princeton University Women Employee Group.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

As a Board, we must learn about the diverse voices and interests of our membership. Surveys can help get ideas in front of members while focus groups can help gain deeper understanding on specific issues.

Larry Daniels

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

Cooperatives fill an important void in our community. They provide a vehicle where community members come together for a common cause; work together, grow together, plan together, share common values, ultimately contributing to a better and more collaborative community.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

As an incumbent Board member, I bring important insight to our current Weavers Way operation and how our present Board supports the business to achieve success. Opening the Ambler store is our most recent example. I am also very active in the local community as a businessman with Edward Jones Investments.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Short-term, we need our Ambler store to continue to grow and meet our sales estimates. Long-term, we are in a very competitive environment with other grocers. More than ever, we need to rally our members and continue to grow membership. Our cooperation and support of the Co-op is our competitive advantage.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

I am a board member and immediate past president of East Mt. Airy Neighbors, a member of the Mt. Airy Day Committee, a member of the EMAN Community Grants Committee, a member of the Chestnut Hill Rotary and a trustee of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

It is important that Board members be engaged in the community because many of the people you encounter are Co-op members. I find that members feel more comfortable sharing outside of formal meetings. Organized Co-op events provide an important venue to share. But there is no substitute for community grassroots involvement.

Meg Gruwell

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

Cooperatives provide a way for a community to work together to meet its needs. I am grateful for Weavers Way becoming a part of the Ambler neighborhood. After seeing Ambler lose several grocery stores, I am committed to helping Weavers Way succeed. Besides providing healthy food, I envision the Co-op being a catalyst for positive change in the community.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

I was part of the successful effort to bring the Co-op to Ambler, serving on the Ambler Food Co-op’s Events & Volunteers Committee for four years, volunteering on the Ambler Advisory Committee during the transition and participating on the Weavers Way Board as a non-voting Ambler representative this past year. Being celiac, lactose-intolerant and allergic to several nuts and fruits, I understand the challenges many members face. I’m a good listener and able to find commonality when opinions differ.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Challenges include stiff competition and low profit margins. Solutions include find ways to bring in new customers and recruit new members; encourage members to be involved in the Co-op.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

Volunteered with Puget Consumers Co-op. My kids attended, and I volunteered with, a cooperative preschool. Also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Housing Alliance and my children’s schools.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

Vote! Elect people who represent you! Encourage feedback, such as the store “Snapshots” and Shuttle letters to the editor to make it easy for members to share concerns with staff and Board members. Shop at the Co-op, listen to what people are saying and seek out members’ opinions.

Toni Jelinek

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

I see cooperatives as “connections” — a simple, direct way for the people who do the real work to connect to each other and to the people who buy their goods and services. When I shop at Weavers Way, I feel that connection, knowing that I’m helping real people and the community thrive.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

Like many board members, I have a business background. Since the Co-op is a business, good business guidance from the Board is important. I’ve served on nonprofit boards for many years, and I know how tight budgets are and how necessary it is to have directors who are committed to the success of the organization. I’m really good at both the money and the people aspects of board work.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Growth isn’t always easy! Short-term, at the new store in Ambler, we need to increase the number of shoppers and members. Long-term, in all of our markets, we face stiff competition from the big chains. I would help the Board continue to be mission-driven, relevant to our communities and provide good value to members and casual shoppers alike.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

I’ve served on at least eight different nonprofit boards. I’ve been a board president, treasurer and secretary. My most relevant experience is with Prairie Oaks Institute in Minnesota, a 20-acre farm dedicated to education and community-building around sustainable agriculture.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

Connect! Listen! Communicate!

Meredith MacVittie

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

Community investment and involvement is my primary motivator in being part of Weavers Way, as well as local economic development and environmental benefits.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

I have been involved in the Ambler Food Co-op, as well as the expansion of Weavers Way — on the front lines, from the bottom up! I have also served as a representative to the Weavers Way Board from the Ambler Advisory Committee, attending all Board meetings, which has given me experience and insight into how the Board functions.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

The financial health of the Co-op is currently of primary importance. Ultimately, the Ambler expansion will help the financial health of the Co-op, although rebuilding cash on hand is our goal. I also think our competition is changing, taking a more streamlined, top-down approach and edging out local vendors. We have an opportunity to reassert our commitment to a local economy. Continuing to work at the offerings at the Ambler store and creating a stronger bond to the community is also something I believe we will continue to explore.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

Ambler Food Co-op: Communications committee and events; Weavers Way: Ambler Advisory Committee secretary, AAC representative to the Board; Boehm’s United Church of Christ, Blue Bell, PA: Deacon.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

I believe there should be more information given to members vis-à-vis the role of the Board in representing the membership. I support collection points in each store where members can submit anonymous comments or concerns if they chose, in addition to open email communication and face-to-face events.

William Ross

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

Co-ops are the future. They are the product of great activists like William King, Robert Owen and workers like those who started Fenwick Weavers Society in 1844 and invented the Rochdale Principles. Co-ops benefit our needs and goals more than any for-profit businesses ever can. This is our Co-op. When Jules Timerman started the Co-op in 1972, he brought us closer to our future. Now I want to join that future by volunteering for our Board.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

I am a team player. I want input and deliberate discussion so we can reach smart decisions and consensus. Now I’m taking college classes while I work part-time at Weavers Way. Starting as a cooperator, for four years I’ve worked on every floor of Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. I understand the inner workings of our Co-op.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Long-term, Weavers Way has tremendous potential social economy, hampered short-term by new competition. We need policies that directly engage and activate all member-owners, especially young people. I envision strengthening our identity as a co-op: people first with local, ethical-consumerism and dollar-voting policies; our profit with centralized-buying policies to compete with discounting; and our planet by investing portions of our pretax profits back into our communities.

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

As an activist, I’ve volunteered and organized with Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, served on a City Year team where I helped struggling low-income students succeed, served student councils and hold membership with National Honor Societies.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

Communication. I will represent you! Email me at williamrossfortheboard@yahoo.com.

Esther Wyss-Flamm

1. Why are cooperatives in general and Weavers Way in particular important to you?

Cooperatives strengthen communities, neighborhoods and local economies. They help weave the fabric of engaged democracy. Weavers Way has supported, inspired and fed us as a family (including our dog) for over a decade, and plays a central role in our daily lives.

2. How will your experience, skills, and unique perspectives strengthen the Co-op Board?

I will help strengthen the Co-op Board with my skills (leadership training, strategic planning, group process management, mindfulness) and insights from years of (1) promoting community action (Peace Corps in West Africa, environmental and social-justice activism). (2) teaching and training in nonprofit organization development (my academic training and profession). (3) owning my own business as a mindfulness instructor.

3. What do you perceive to be the long- and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way and how would you address them?

Consolidating Ambler expansion (by refining and adding to strategies already in place); member recruitment and engagement (by building on what makes the Co-op attractive to the demographic, social and economic diversity in our neighborhoods); ensuring the Co-op contributes to a healthy and sustainable planet (by reinforcing member understanding and focus on these issues).

4. What volunteer experiences have you had with other cooperatives or organizations?

I currently serve on and was formerly co-chair of the Weavers Way Health & Wellness Committee. I am a board member of the School Mindfulness Project for Philadelphia public schools. I formerly chaired the UC Berkeley Village Residents Association negotiating fair-housing options and programs to meet the needs of over 800 economically and culturally diverse families.

5. How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership?

Encourage members to attend Co-op Board meetings to represent their opinions; listen, learn from and discuss member ideas when attending Co-op and other community functions; fundamentally represent member interests through sound strategic management of the Co-op in the long run.