Wanted: Board Candidates for the October 2010 Election

Do you want to help guide the Wedge's future? Do you care about membership and staying successful in a changing and challenging business environment? Are you ready to do more to ensure the Wedge's continued success? If so, please consider running for the Board of Directors—the health of a co-op depends on a strong, knowledgeable board.

The following is an outline of board responsibilities and candidate selection criteria.

Reasons to Consider Running for the Board of Directors:

• You want to make a contribution to your community
• You want to give something back to your favorite co-op
• You have talent and energy to share and are interested in professional development
• You want to be actively involved in a representative democracy
• You want to answer the question, "Just what does the Board of Directors DO?"

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors:

• Set long-term goals and ensure planning for the future
• Ensure sound management of co-op resources
• Act as trustees on behalf of the members

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Board of Directors must focus on these key areas:

• Hiring, supervising and evaluating the co-op's general manager
• Planning for the co-op's future and approving management's plans
• Approving capital and operating budgets
• Recruiting new directors to ensure a well-qualified board
• Making decisions about the mechanics of the co-op's governance system, development of policies and guidelines and other related matters. (Note: The board does NOT make operating decisions for the store, choose products or supervise staff other than the general manager.)

Expectations of Board Members:

• Understand and promote the mission of the Wedge Community Co-op
• Act in the interests of the whole membership, not a specific constituency
• Attend meetings faithfully and serve on committees effectively (4-10 hours/ month time commitment, depending on committee assignments)
• Assess their own performance as board members
• Act in accordance with the Code of Ethics
• Assure continuity of the highest quality in board membership

Criteria Considered by the Nominations Committee for Board Candidates:

• Active Wedge member in good standing
• Completed application and resume turned in on time
• Ability to perform the responsibilities and expectations of board members (list above)
• Commitment to the Code of Ethics and Confidentiality adopted by the Wedge Board of Directors
• Good communication skills
• Leadership qualities (listed below)
• Ability to readily understand financial issues and read financial statements such as balance sheets
• Previous board, committee or other group experience

Desirable Candidate Leadership Qualities:

The Wedge Board of Directors needs people with commitment to the entire membership of the co-op, not just specific issues. Although most do not possess all of the following leadership characteristics, please consider applying if you have a number of them:

• Able to share a vision, a purpose, an ideal
• Seeks win/win solutions, not win/lose
• Empowers others and delegates authority
• Is creative, imaginative, and flexible
• Respects multiple elements of diversity and diversity of thought
• Displays candor and has the courage to challenge respectfully
• Understands balance between bottom line and larger organizational purpose
• Follows through on commitments
• Able to maintain confidentiality when required
• Able to work on a team
• Able to put the interests of the whole body above the interests of a few
• Able to think long term and see the big picture, without getting bogged down in details

Term: 3 years, beginning after the October 2010 annual meeting

Compensation: $8,334 per year, paid quarterly (more for officers)

Application deadline: 4:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 6, 2010

To receive an application in person, request one at the Customer Service Desk.

To receive an application by email, send your request with "Board Application Requested" on the subject line to bodadmin@wedge.coop.

Interviews will take place during the last week of July and the first week of August. The Board of Directors will present the slate of candidates to the membership for its consideration. Ballots and candidate profiles will be mailed in September.