Vote for Your Board
All co-op members are eligible to vote for our board of directors! There are three spots up for election this spring. Each candidate has written their biography below, and once you scroll to the bottom, you can vote online. You must provide your member number to vote. Please vote for up to three candidates. Voting is also available in-store. VOTING CLOSES FRIDAY 4/21 AT 3:30PM.
Thank you for voting!
You can watch the candidates speak at the virtual Annual Meeting on April 15th. Click here to sign up!
Colleen Beagan
Describe your experience with this cooperative and cooperatives generally.
When I moved to Bayfield in September 2020, one of the first things I did was become a member of the coop. I was a member of Mississippi Market coop in the Twin Cities prior to moving to Bayfield.
The coop always has what I need, and I especially like the focus on providing members with local food and products. All the employees are helpful and knowledgeable about the products sold.
As the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction for Bayfield Schools, I appreciate the use of Ojibwe to educate members about the language and culture of Red Cliff and Bad River.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skills, personal qualities, or perspectives will you bring to the board?
I have been in K-12 education for over 20 years. In July 2022, I became the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction for Bayfield Schools. One of the main initiatives we are working on is career readiness. Part of this goal is to create more community and business connections for students, and the coop is one of the connections we hope to make. I want our students to be career ready when they graduate, and to stay in the area. There are so many amazing opportunities, they just need to know what they are and have a chance to experience them through job shadowing, work-based learning, and internships. As a board member, hopefully, I can make more connections to support the young people of Bayfield and beyond.
In August of 2021, I became a councilperson for the city of Bayfield. One of the members moved from the city and I was elected by the council to fill the seat. In April of 2022, I won the election to finish the term. As a council member, I also serve on the Plan Commission and represent the city on the BART Board. For different reasons, I made the decision not to run for reelection in April. My time on the council has taught me a lot and I hope to bring this knowledge and experience to the coop board. My hope is that the Mayor provides me the opportunity to remain on the BART Board. The BART system is vital to the greater Chequamegon area and we need to make sure it continues to thrive.
When I lived in St. Paul I served on the Union Park District Council, the Executive Board, and the Land Use Committee.
Serving on various boards and the council has provided me the opportunity to learn the importance of working as a team, listening, compromising, and respect. As a council person, my main focus has always been the citizens of Bayfield. It is important to be available to the citizens, so another council member and I started monthly listening sessions at Wonderstate Coffee this Fall. Having a place for citizens to be heard in a less formal environment has been valuable. As a member of the coop board, I will have the same mindset, I represent the members.
What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the Co-op and/or it’s mission?
The coop is already doing so many amazing things, and the future is bright. As I stated, career readiness is extremely important to me, and so one vision is to have the coop be a part of this vision. We should look for opportunities to bring in students of all ages to experience and learn about running a coop. We need to do all we can to keep our young people in the area.
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s board of directors?
My father was extremely active in the Bayfield area until he died in 2019. Throughout my life, he demonstrated to me the importance of giving of your time. The mission and vision of the coop align more with my values and passions than being a part of municipal government. Eating healthy, supporting local growers and producers, and having a strong focus on the community is something I have been committed to since my days working for Greenpeace. We have so many amazing things happening in the Chequamegon area and the coop is part of it. Being on the board will provide me the opportunity to give back to this amazing community and represent the needs of all members.
Kaylie Lukas
Describe your experience with this cooperative and cooperatives generally.
I worked at the co-op part-time in all sorts of general positions for about 6 years. Cashiering, wellness assistant, produce, grocery, cleaner, you name it… It’s like a second home to me, it is the main and often only place I shop. Even though I only get over there once every 1-2 weeks these days, I love the time I spend there, the employees, and the community hub of catching up with folks that it is.
During my employment with the co-op I spent 1, maybe 2, years serving as an assistant to the board. I attended all the meetings and took minutes, so I have a good feel for what to expect as a board member.
Prior to the CFC, I was a member of the Stevens Point Food Co-op, and then after college did my shopping at local co-ops where I lived.
I am a believer in cooperative organizations of all sorts. I wish I would have been around to witness the birth of some of the first food cooperatives, most starting as buyers clubs and then growing to what they are today.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skills, personal qualities, or perspectives will you bring to the board?
Besides my work at the co-op…
I worked part time as a bookkeeper for two different area businesses for several years. I understand financial reports, and I’m a whiz with Excel.
I have worked as Bayfield County’s 4-H Program assistant for the past 2 years. This is a multi-faceted job that involves communication with community members, event planning, social media and marketing, working with a volunteer board, and more.
My life revolves around good food. I grow a great deal of my own food and spend a ton of time in my kitchen, concocting all sorts of yummy stuff.
I understand the importance of organic, local, and sustainably produced goods. I live off grid with solar power, I’m thrifty, and am conscious of my ecological footprint in everything I do.
I’d also say I’m an aspiring farmer. Gardens get bigger each year and we’re about at a point where we are going to be able to use some of our bed space to grow produce to sell. So I can look at things from a variety of perspectives: employee, farmer, shopper, community member…
I moved up here 10 years ago and started off by interning at North Wind Farm in Bayfield, after that I worked at Blue Vista Farm for a year. Besides that, I am familiar with a lot of the farmers in our area.
What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the Co-op and/or it’s mission?
I’ve moved past my nostalgia for the “old” little co-op on Chapple Ave. I love the diversity of the goods that the new space has allowed.
However, I’d like to see better use of the deli space, increased incentives for farmers to grow and sell produce to the co-op. More variety & diversity in the produce case.
Going with this, I am interested in learning more about how our co-op can work with, but also compete with other local food distributors like CSAs, buyers clubs, and markets. I feel that sometimes the co-op ends up with the extras that farmers have after their produce goes to their CSA or other market. I’d like to see more farmers growing and harvesting specialty and basic veg specifically for the co-op, with the intention of meeting the customer demand, so that the produce case is filled with fresh local produce when it’s available.
I’d also like to see more local value added product start ups that fit the needs of the co-op. I’m thinking more basic food items like applesauce, tomato sauce, tortillas, salsas, dried fruits, etc. the things that the co-op sells a lot of but does not have a local option for.
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s board of directors?
I think what I’ve written this far sums it up. I love the co-op and I want to see it succeed, I want to see employees that value their jobs, and customers that can find wholesome food for their families all in a great community atmosphere.
I always figured I’d run for the board at some point. May as well go for it now.
Add anything else you feel is relevant to your candidacy.
I’m open minded and willing to listen and take into account others perspectives and needs.
Bruce Moore
Describe your experience with this cooperative and cooperatives generally.
My membership in a food coop spans 40-plus years, about a dozen of those with the Chequamegon food co-op. I believe in the overall mission of co-ops to serve the community. Making nutritious, local, organically grown food available to people is central to that mission.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skills, personal qualities, or perspectives will you bring to the board?
I am a retired environmental engineer & hydrologist. Much of my career was spent working for the WI Dept. of Natural Resources and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agencies whose charge is ultimately to protect and preserve natural resources. In my role as a civil servant, I interacted with concerned citizens, community leaders, business owners and consultants. This experience honed my ability to dialogue with people from many walks of life. I have found that excellent communication skills are essential for a Board member to be effective.
Through my academic and professional training as a scientist, I can contribute to analyzing a problem, identifying potential obstacles to address, and determining candidate solutions. A board member needs to be able to work through issues objectively and efficiently while sorting through the information at hand. I believe I have this important skill set.
On a personal level, I am not one who thinks he has all, or the only, viable answer to a question. I believe in building consensus, acknowledging the expertise that others bring to the table. I work effectively in both a group setting or independently, as circumstances dictate.
What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the Co-op and/or it’s mission?
Food choices and climate change go hand-in-hand. As a major food supplier to Ashland and surrounding communities, our co-op plays the important role of making available foods that are healthy and sustainable. In addition to food access, we can serve our members through information & education about how food relates to addressing climate change.
I believe our food co-op has great potential for expanding both the scope of local, organic foods we offer, and information to our membership on how food and climate relate. As a Board member, I would be interested in exploring these areas.
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s board of directors?
I believe in civic involvement, and giving back. Volunteerism brings good things to a community, as well as great personal satisfaction to the volunteer. Frankly, one of the great things about retirement is that there is more time for working on things you are passionate about. Few things are more fundamental than ensuring one has access to wholesome food.
In my view, our food co-op is one of the cornerstones of the greater Chequamegon Bay community. Without it, the community would not be the same. I believe in our mission, and wish to play an active part in seeing to the co-op’s continued health and development.
Add anything else you feel is relevant to your candidacy.
I have lived in Bayfield since 2006, and have experienced life here as both a working stiff and a retiree.
I have prior experience serving on community committees and boards of non-profit organizations. Examples include: Bayfield Architectural Review Board, Prairie Fire Biodiesel Cooperative, WI Wetlands Association, Chequamegon Bay Alliance for Sustainability, Bayfield Regional Conservancy (now Landmark Conservancy).
Larry Munch
Describe your experience with this cooperative and cooperatives generally.
I have been an member/owner with this cooperative for nearly three years and have been a member of several cooperatives in various types of businesses over the past 30 years, although I have never served at a Director level to date.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skills, personal qualities, or perspectives will you bring to the board?
I have been a practicing Urologist for 30 years and have recently joined the Memorial Medical Center in Ashland and have a house in Bayfield. I completed my MBA with specialization in Leadership at the University of Colorado, Denver program in 2019 and have served as Department of Surgery Chairman at Avista Hospital in Louisville, CO for three years before joining Marshfield Clinic in 2019. Previously, I have served on several national committees with the American Urological Association and have been a Director and Co-director of Minimally Invasive Urology Fellowship programs at the University of Kentucky and Indiana University.
I believe that my background has provided me with a unique perspective in the various aspects of what is needed to be successful as both an individual as well as in bringing teams together to work towards achieving the desired goals set by Leadership.
What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the Co-op and/or it’s mission?
I believe that understanding the changing needs of a community and being able to work towards addressing those needs can best be achieved by those who live and work in those communities and have a stake in that success (or failure). I believe that the Chequamegon Food Co-Op can continue to enhance the lives and livelihoods of those in the region with healthy, often locally sourced products. At the same time, as the community becomes more diverse, the Co-Op can be a leader in introducing new products that are not necessarily readily available in the region to meet those tastes.
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s board of directors?
I believe in civic involvement, and giving back. Volunteerism brings good things to a community, as well as great personal satisfaction to the volunteer. Frankly, one of the great things about retirement is that there is more time for working on things you are passionate about. Few things are more fundamental than ensuring one has access to wholesome food.
In my view, our food co-op is one of the cornerstones of the greater Chequamegon Bay community. Without it, the community would not be the same. I believe in our mission, and wish to play an active part in seeing to the co-op’s continued health and development.
Add anything else you feel is relevant to your candidacy.
As an outsider moving to the area, I compare what other community food cooperatives have accomplished with what Chequamegon Co-Op has done. I would like to have a better understanding of the particular goals and expectations and see if there might be more ways for the Co-Op to serve the community, the owners and perhaps attract new member/owners who may be looking for something that isn’t currently offered or available, but might be something that the organization would consider pursuing. I believe that I can offer a fresh perspective in how the Co-Op can adjust to these challenges in order to help assure the long-term viability and profitability of the Co-Op while working within the limitations of living in a smaller community.
Mick Parent
Describe your experience with this cooperative and cooperatives generally.
I have been a coop member since 1990, and a Chequamegon Food Coop member since 2015. For the past three years I have been on the board of CFC, including the board president the past year.
I am a firm believer in supporting local agriculture and environmentally sound growing practices. I also appreciate the knowledge coops share with their membership and hope to see more. Finally I feel we all should give back what we can to our community. This is one way I feel I can help by stepping forward.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skills, personal qualities, or perspectives will you bring to the board?
I am a retired operational finance professional, with 40+ years in a variety of industries, leaning heavily towards food manufacturing. I have worked with small start up firms, up to multinational corporations, experiencing a variety of organizations.
I think my accounting / finance experience is a good fit with the needs of our coop, as well as my background in food delivery. The past three years on the board have see the board / management team develop a new five year strategic plan. If re-elected I would like to see it implemented.
What’s your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the Co-op and/or it’s mission?
I would like to see us to continue down the path the coop has been on for its recent past. Focus on healthy local food and a solid community of local farmers and ranchers. I also feel we have more we can do to assist in local food processing, to provide a wider array of products at the coop.
We have a fairly broad list of identified project options for the management team to address, and I would like to help as I can to get some of those projects moving.
Why are you interested in serving on the Co-op’s board of directors?
I believe in the Coop’s mission and ends statement, and feel I can continue to aid in moving us towards an ever improving food network. We have a wonderful store, not broken at all, but with many areas we could be better and provide even more options to our membership.
I think some board continuity would be a good thing, keeping our direction consistent and positive. We have discussed many plans I would look forward to seeing to fruition.
Add anything else you feel is relevant to your candidacy.
I am a retired native Ashlander and proud of it. I would hope we can work toward making the coop a good place for all of our community, native born or transplant. We understand our product mix is a bit more expensive, but understanding the costs of organic production and a local food network will hopefully make that worthwhile to our community. Healthy local food is a passion for me, from growing my own, to CSA and Coop memberships, to finding ways to broaden our options. Let’s leave a better local food network as our legacy.