Board of Directors
Consider running for our Board of Directors
We want you to join us in welcoming our two new board members and one incumbent to the Mississippi Market Board of Directors. Congratulations to Jon Olson, Tracy Morgan, and incumbent Nilgun Tuna-our winners of the Mississippi Market Board Election!
Here are the responses each candidate submitted that led to their election. We are so glad to have them shaping the future of Mississippi Market!
Jon N. Olson
1. I grew up in a family trucking business serving small farmers in Western Minnesota, becoming well-versed in food production, processing and distribution. As part of administrative teams in two community and technical colleges, I provided successful leadership on numerous organizational growth and improvement projects. I also have experience in planning and administration of operating budgets up to $4m, and extensive knowledge of payroll and H.R. procedures in union and non-union settings.
2. As a team leader with a B.A. Degree in Organizational Leadership, I managed an entire academic division at Hennepin Technical College, providing vision and direction that resulted in development of new programs and overall growth exceeding 50% over five years. The process required collaboration with educational administrators, first responders, students, teachers and government entities. I enjoy wearing many different hats and take pride in gaining the trust and cooperation of diverse groups of people.
3. I see my food co-op as a community resource — accent on community — that can serve a wide market segment with a blend of locally grown and commercially produced products. The notion of the “organic hippie” is fading, and the concepts of locality and sustainability belong to every responsible consumer. I’d like to see the Mississippi Market become the place that sells what people want, where the selection is diverse, and the customers are educated about food choices. My application to the board is a promise to devote my skills to that end.
Nilgun Tuna
1. I have been a registered architect for the last 30 years and am LEED certified. For 15 of those years, I have owned my own business, as well as being a partner in my husband’s engineering consulting business. As such, I have had to develop a wide variety of skills which have been useful to me on the Board, including financial literacy, dealing with contracts, marketing, and effectively communicating with clients to solve their problems in a creative way. I have also been active in the community. With two other parents, I helped to found the St. Paul French Immersion School. I have served on the St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission, our school site council, and most recently on the St Paul Environmental Round Table.
2. While serving on the Board, I focused my energy on member linkage and effective communication and marketing. I saw that our success in popularizing organic and whole foods meant that we had serious competition, and needed a professional marketing approach to survive and thrive. To a great extent, this has been accomplished by our staff and consultants. We now have a new coherent image in everything from our bags to our website. New staff members have revitalized our communications with customers and members.
3. Just as our Selby store helped change the dynamic of its neighborhood, our West 7th store can also be a catalyst for change. We can form a wider membership base by reaching out to new demographic groups in this area. The economic climate is a great opportunity for us to educate and acquire new members as thrift, cooking and preserving become popular.
We need to effectively communicate our unique ownership model and what that means for members as far as food sourcing, food safety, and community involvement.
We need to exercise leadership in food policy. Coops formed the organic network. Now we are focusing on local and sustainable food. I see urban agriculture, and making fresh food available in all neighborhoods as areas of future focus. I have a vision of a community organic garden next to our new store, with nearby seniors sharing gardening wisdom, people learning to make compost, and kids becoming enthused about vegetables. I see Mississippi Market supporting a community resource which could truly appeal to all the diverse people in our new neighborhood.
Tracy Morgan
1. As a new member of the Mississippi Market co‐op and passionate local foodie, I’m excited to get more involved with the Market, its patrons and its mission. My past history as VP of Business Development and Communications for a large local nonprofit, as well as my practical experience launching and growing businesses, makes me well suited to serve on the Board of Directors for the Market. My professional strengths are in strategic business planning, marketing & communications, social media, partnership development, event planning and project management.
2. Personally, my experience in leadership roles has impressed upon me the importance of fostering a collaborative environment, augmenting my own weaknesses with the strengths of other talented people and planning proactively. In particular, I enjoyed the opportunity to lead several long‐ and short‐term strategy planning sessions with my previous employer – working with a variety of personalities and professional backgrounds – to cull out the critical value of our operation, understand our competition, anticipate our detractor’s moves and put our organization on a path to strength, awareness and success.
I believe wholeheartedly in thoughtful, visionary planning first so that we can make panic‐free course corrections along the way.
3. I have recently started my own consulting firm integrating my professional experience with my personal passions, not the least of which is food! My clients are primarily small‐ to medium‐sized businesses and entrepreneurs who are launching a new business, business line, product or service. As a contributor for www.SimpleGoodandTasty.com (also my client), I have become a vocal advocate for the community and personal benefits of local, sustainable and organic foods. I have made a personal decision to “vote with my fork” and learn, get involved, branch out. My vision for the future of the Mississippi Market would be to 1) make healthful, local foods a cornerstone in more Twin Citians’ diets, and 2) for the Market to leverage its brand and fiercely loyal consumers in order to play a leadership role in making sustainability (in all of its facets) an accessible, attainable concept for our community.
