JOIN THE TPSS CO-OP BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES!

The Co-op’s continued success depends on members’ willingness to serve on its Board of Representatives.  The Board is made up of member-owners just like you who are diverse, passionate, and interested in helping the store thrive. We urge you to consider running for the Board! 

The next Board term start December 1st, and this year we have 6 seats up for election. Three seats are full three-year terms and the other three seats will fill vacancies currently held by appointed board members with terms of 1 or 2 years. 

REQUIREMENTS

  • Board members must be member-owners of TPSS Co-op in good standing.
  • Co-op employees who are member-owners are eligible to run. If elected, a Co-op employee will be representing the membership at large, not the staff of the Co-op.
  • A Board member may not have any conflicts that are deemed to be adverse to the interest of the Co-op.
  • Once elected, each Board member must sign a confidentiality agreement and disclose any potential conflicts of interest

NOMINATION PROCESS:

Candidates nominate themselves by:

  • Completing an Application Form and emailing it to  boardelections@tpss.coop or completing it online BY OCTOBER 15th
  • Attending at least one Board Meeting prior to elections (August 15th, September 19th or October 17th)
  • Making a presentation at the Candidate Forum at the Fall Member meeting on October 20th (click HERE for more details)
  • Voting takes place from October 20th through November 15th with results announced on November 22nd

WHAT BOARD SERVICE ENTAILS

Expect to spend about 10-15 hours a month on Board duties. This includes:

  • Preparing for and actively participating in Board meetings held on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm;
  • Serving on one of the Board committees;
  • Attending semi-annual membership meetings;
  • Participating in the Board’s one-day annual retreat in January; and 
  • Representing the Board at public events, such as at the Co-op’s Earth Day celebration and other occasional engagements with membership and the community 

BENEFITS OF BEING ON THE BOARD

  • A monthly stipend in the form of a TPSS gift card. 
    • $75 for Board Representatives not serving as officers
    • $100 for Board Representatives serving as an officer other than President
    • $125 for the Board Representative serving as President
  • A say in shaping and safeguarding the future of the Co-op 
  • Insights into the inner workings of your Co-op
  • Skill-building in leadership, governance and finance
  • Access to trainings and conferences
  • Greater connection to the Takoma Park and Silver Spring communities
  • Connections with other cooperators around the country

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY ON THE CO-OP BOARD

The Co-op is a space for all of us with the mission of access to healthful food at the center.  For the Co-op to be truly representative of all its member-owners, employees, shoppers, and the community within which it sits, all must have a seat at the governance table.  Our work as board members is centered in making real the concept of diversity, inclusion, and equity, so that our vision and decisions reflect what is best, not only for the Co-op, but for all its stakeholders.

PAST ELECTION RESULTS

2024 Election Results:

    • 104 total votes
    9 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Bob Gibson - 85
  • Mary Arimond - 85
  • Sheila Rieser - 84
  • Margaret Morehouse - 74
  • James Gibson - 70
  • Gurcharan Singh - 65

2023 Election Results:

    • 61 total votes
    3 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Elizabeth Teuwen- 51
  • Mandilyn Beck- 47
  • Kopal Jha- 45

2022 Election Results:

    • 58 total votes
    1 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Orly Keiner- 46
  • Ami Amin- 43
  • Taylor Dibbert- 51

2021 Election Results:

    • 52 total votes
    0 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Katea Stitt- 52
  • Bob Gibson- 52
  • Esteban de Dobrzynski- 52

2020 Election Results:

    • 297 total votes
    27 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Diane Curran- 210
  • Adam Frank- 180
  • Elizabeth Teuwen- 150
  • Citlalli Velasquez- 132
    Elias Vlanton- 110
    Esteban de Dobrzynski- 88
    Toni Tileva- 75

2019 Election Results:

    • 216 total votes
    33 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Susan Cho- 144
  • Fred Feinstein- 128
  • Katherine Tsantiris- 116
  • Bob Gibson- 110
    Susan West Montgomery- 94
    Elias Vlanton- 41

2018 Election Results:

    • 288 total votes
    36 disqualified votes

Vote Tally:

  • Katea Stitt- 179
  • Julia Eddy- 166
  • Sawa Kamara- 134
    Bob Gibson- 129
    Sat Jiwan Ikle-Khalsa- 124
    Greg Ross- 17