Come and vote for YOUR Board of Directors and learn about YOUR store!
Our 2016 annual meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 26 2016 at the East Aurora Middle School, 430 Main Street, East Aurora. We will conduct official business and do some celebrating – our long-anticipated store opening is upon us! We’ll provide the beverages and invite you to please bring your favorite dessert or appetizer to share.
For our 2016 elections, we are grateful to those who have indicated their desire to run for the board! This year we have three candidates, running for three open seats. Please read information about each candidate, below.
Let’s celebrate the past year’s accomplishments and look to an exciting year ahead! Please RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you on May 26! Go Co-op!
Ballot Count: The ballot count for election to the EACM Board of Directors will be conducted by the EACM Board of Directors Election Committee beginning at approximately 8:45 PM at the co-op office above JoyWheel Yoga in the 411 Main Street building in East Aurora. Member-owners may observe the tally, candidates and household members of candidates may not attend.
Theresa Bindig
Theresa Bindig lives in East Aurora with her husband and three children. She is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist doing Nutrition Counseling/Consultation through her small private practice in JoyWheel Yoga and Wellness on Main Street East Aurora.
Why are you interested in serving on the co-op’s board of directors?
Over the past five years I feel I have participated in many small ways to help bring the co-op to fruition. Serving on the board would allow me to use the skills that I have acquired as a food and nutrition expert, small business owner and effective communicator to further that cause in a much broader and more integral way. I believe my enthusiasm and experience can help guide the co-op to be a strong anchor and a beacon for health to our community.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skill, personal quality or perspective will you bring to the board?
I have 13 years experience as an expert in the field of food and nutrition as a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, and have strong people and communication skills. I am also a small-business owner with ties in the East Aurora and surrounding communities. Working daily in my field puts me in a unique position to note changing trends and interests in the world of food and nutrition. Setting up and running my nutrition counseling practice has allowed me to obtain experience in the area of business management. These skills would allow me to bring a unique perspective to the East Aurora Co-op Market Board of Directors.
What is your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the co-op and/or our mission?
My vision for the future of our cooperative is that of a strong economic and educational anchor in the community that is a beacon for those searching for real and wholesome foods to nourish ourselves, our families, and our environment. I see the cooperative as a place where one can enter and feel that the hard work has been done for them, the choices set before them have been carefully made with personal and environmental health in mind. I see the Co-op as a community based business that is working to create economic growth. As a dietitian/nutritionist, mom and board member it is vital to me to have a better choice for myself, my family, and my community.
Gary Kimmel-Hurt
Gary Kimmel-Hurt has recently retired from Suicide Prevention and Crisis Services of Buffalo, where he worked in fund development and also volunteered as a hospital advocate. He is the former owner of East Aurora Locksmith.
Why are you interested in serving on the co-op’s board of directors?
This is an exciting time for East Aurora as the East Aurora Co-op Market prepares to open the doors on their brand new store. I have volunteered both in the temporary co-op store and helped out with informational stands, and truly believe in the mission of our co-op. I am impressed with the hard work and dedication of the co-op’s founders, volunteers, and board of directors, and want to work with and share my sense of commitment with such an inspirational group of people. I want to be part of making the East Aurora Co-op Market an integral and successful addition to our community.
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skill, personal quality or perspective will you bring to the board?
I recently retired from Crisis Services of Buffalo where I worked in fund development using social media to increase awareness of the organization’s mission and to raise funds. I also volunteered as a hospital advocate. Over the last ten years, both in Japan and Buffalo, I have worked with nonprofit organizations involved with crisis counseling, suicide prevention, and sexual/domestic violence. As a phone counselor, trainer and supervisor, I have extensive experience working in small diverse groups and have developed strong interpersonal skills.
I have owned two successful businesses and held a variety of positions where I’ve had to quickly acquire new skills – both intellectual and manual. I‘m very adaptable and have always been able to work well in groups. My counseling and negotiating skills, and experience with building construction would all be valuable assets for the co-op board.
Throughout my career I’ve learned that listening and thinking before responding has resulted in smoother interactions and positive results. The key to working in groups is patience and an open mind.
What is your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the co-op and/or our mission?
Of course, getting the store opened! But more than that, a store that provides healthy food from local growers and offers classes on healthy eating and general well-being. The co-op can be a way to demonstrate a commitment to a lifestyle that is becoming harder to find in many communities. Involving co-op members and reaching out to non-members can generate a feeling of connectedness, of ownership in something good for the community. Our co-op can become something that everyone in East Aurora can feel pride in and feel a part of.
Sandy Szalinski
Sandy Szalinski is a scientist and writer who works for Restoration Services, Inc. providing environmental compliance and communication support services to the U. S. Department of Energy at the West Valley Demonstration Project.
Why are you interested in serving on the co-op’s board of directors?
I want to contribute to the Co-op’s success. I am a member and investor in the Co-op because I believe in its mission and vision, so it is the right place for me to devote time and energy
Summarize your professional experience and relevant skills. What unique skill, personal quality or perspective will you bring to the board?
With many years of technical and managerial experience in industry and additional roles as a volunteer in numerous organizations, I know how to work cooperatively with others to set goals, develop plans, solve problems, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders. My unique skill is taking complex information and making it understandable for diverse audiences. I am excited by new challenges and will work hard to fulfill my responsibilities.
What is your vision for the future of our cooperative? What makes you passionate about the co-op and/or our mission?
I envision a thriving cooperative market that sells locally sourced, natural foods, pays fair wages, and provides educational resources for healthy living. Corporate agriculture and massive food processing harm the environment and sicken the consumers. I envision the cooperative market as a place that provides resources that enable healthy living for both suppliers and consumers. While the market is nearing opening day, there is much to be done to establish a sustainable business and I want to help drive it forward.