Our Board is the functionary body that makes executive decisions about the future of our co-operative, tracks the progress of the store through our General Manager, and is democratically-elected by our membership every year. Let’s learn more about the awesome people that comprise our Board. Our third interview is with our Board Treasurer, Bob Gibson!
Chloe: How would you introduce yourself?
Bob: I’m Bob Gibson, and I’m currently the treasurer of the Board of Representatives at TPSS. I’ve been on the Board for six years, which makes me the longest-serving Board Member of our current group.
C: What do you do and why do you do it?
B: As far as what I do — most people talk about what they ‘do’ as their life work, and my work-for-pay has ended. I’m retired. Now what I do is try to live life well and give back a little bit, I guess. I stopped paid work a year ago and I’m very glad. It was time. I had a fantastic, varied career that one could not replicate again today because the world is always changing.
C: Elizabeth (our Board President) talked about how you worked in similar fields and didn’t know each other?
B: Yup, I worked for a long time in electric co-operatives. Elizabeth worked for a law firm that did work with a couple different electric co-ops, I believe. My big immersion into co-operatives was that work. I worked for the trade association that represents these rural electric co-ops; they bring electricity to rural America. It was a really significant (if not very well known) social program of the New Deal, where most rural areas had no electricity and the power companies — the Pepco’s of the day — had no interest in serving small farms and scattered homes because there was no profit incentive. With encouragement from the Department of Agriculture, rural people started organizing their own co-operatives to create their own little power companies. Farmers would go door-to-door, visiting other farmers in their area, collecting $5 to join this new co-op. They slowly would get enough money to start the co-op. $5 back in 1940 was a lot of money.
C: You were not doing this in 1940.
B: No, Chloe, I was not alive in 1940! I’m old but I’m not that old. This is the history of the programs, I wasn’t there! I did start working with electric co-ops long enough ago that I actually had the opportunity to speak with some of those founders of those co-ops while they were still alive. People were passionate about the co-ops that they formed because nobody expected them to succeed. People really thought, how can this group of people with very limited income and no wherewithal above building electric lines, how can they do this? But they did. And they did it all over the country. Close to 1,000 co-ops. That was my primary introduction to co-ops, and I worked with electric co-ops in different jobs for almost 30 years. My first exposure to co-ops was when I was a Peace Corps volunteer working in an agriculture department in the West Indies; a guy from Sweden gave us this several day, fairly dry training that introduced us to co-ops. The governance structure, all the stuff that puts you to sleep. But it did sort of stick with me — I thought, “This sounds good.” I had the honor of working with some progressive farmers on the island who wanted to market their goods collectively, so we formed a farmer co-op. They did it, I just helped on the side. They were dynamic, and it was really about marketing produce and getting better returns by pooling their resources. I was an English major in college, I had no idea what I was going to do when I got out of school. I liked to write, I liked to take photographs. I went to work for a newspaper, and it was a fantastic job. After the Peace Corps, I went to work for a magazine, and that’s how I got to know co-ops. We covered the business of co-ops. I traveled all throughout rural America, writing about different places. People would put me up in their homes, I would stay and get to know these very out-of-the-way communities. I did stories on rural business, rural poverty, rural education, and the rural way of life. From there, I started covering energy and began working on energy; I worked internationally on energy for five years. I worked with electric co-ops in countries around the world where they didn’t have electricity. After that, I started working in countries that didn’t have electric grids (at the time), working with unconventional forms of energy. For the next 20 years I worked in renewable energy research and education. All with my little English degree! My last 5 years I worked with a nonprofit and we started promoting solar in a big way and then we expanded to all zero-carbon technology. Within the past 15 years of my employment, solar went from uber-expensive niche technology that nobody took seriously to a mainstream economically viable choice. Big solar is now cheaper than any source of fossil fuel generation in this country. I can’t tell you how many people in the business, going back, would laugh at the idea that this day would ever come. It was a great career — to start working for a newspaper in Connecticut and to end up doing international energy work. When I retired, it occurred to me that I had time to give back, and I thought I should serve on the Board of this Co-op. I’ve always been curious about all forms of business and I didn’t know anything about groceries, but it was another thing to learn about! This was another thing to become a student of. I went to Diane Curran’s house — she was the President of the Board at the time — and I dropped a note off saying I wanted to run for the Board.
C: Where do you live, and what’s your relationship to Takoma Park? It’s the infamous creepy question.
B: I live on Pine Avenue, I’ve lived there since 1994.
C: Is it Takoma Maryland or Takoma DC?
B: Takoma Maryland. Just on the edge of old town Takoma. Easy walk to the Metro, easy walk to TPSS. I’d known about Takoma Park since I moved to DC in 1981, and a few years later one of my bosses at the time had moved here. It seemed like a cool, interesting community — very progressive, a good mix of people, kind of funky. I thought if I ever were to get married and have a kid, Montgomery County schools were supposed to be good…and I could easily hop on the train and get to work. For a long time, I lived in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle and I would walk to work. For a few years I had a job out near Dulles Airport in an energy co-operative — I had sworn I would never be one of those suckers getting in a car and driving on the Beltway. I found it was easy to say that until push came to shove and that’s just where my job was. I found myself fighting hellish traffic for a few years. When I got married, we had a kid on the way, Takoma Park made sense next. We’ve been living in the same house ever since. Our son just turned 30! Takoma Park has changed in good and bad ways since back then. It’s not the same funky place it was back then, but we have these amazing local restaurants. I have three bookstores I can walk to within 10 minutes or less now (including Orly’s)! The bookstore at Busboys and Poets, and People’s Book. That’s nirvana for me.
C: What was your first experience at the Co-op? It wasn’t here, it must’ve been at the original Co-op (on Sligo Avenue).
B: Yup, going to the location on Sligo Ave. I remember thinking, “Okay, this isn’t quite for me.” (laughs)
C: (laughing) Why did you think that?
B: It was like people who were mad passionate about natural and organic. Natural and organic are great, but it wasn’t a huge motivator for me at the time. It was jam-packed in there with stuff, it was kind of unorganized, it was run as a collective of people. It was fine, but I wasn’t going to go out of my way to shop there because I didn’t have the feeling that I needed to have a natural food diet. It was really hardcore, and I admire the people who started the Co-op because they had very few options to get the food that they wanted from a commercial entity. It was very small, it was almost like a food club. The Co-op didn’t fit into our lifestyle. It wasn’t until the business moved here (to our current location, on Ethan Allen Ave) — I can walk to this location, and it’s a lot bigger. The Co-op offered a larger range of products, too. It made more sense for us to start shopping here.
C: What made you start thinking about becoming a Co-op Board Member?
B: I always wanted to be a member of any Co-op where I’m doing business, but electric utilities here were are not co-operative. I recognized I do have a co-op near where I live, and it’s a food co-op. I started to pay more attention. I thought if I have time, and I’m someone that the community would trust with serving, then it would be wonderful to be a Co-op Board Member if I was elected. I was aware of what a co-op board was for a long time, after having worked with co-ops for decades. It’s the same thing across all sectors — you’re using democratic governance and representing the membership for a set term. It’s a way of exercising your rights and responsibilities as a member-owner. Co-ops need Board Members who are genuinely passionate about doing their best as Board Members. Learning about the fiduciary responsibilities, trying to help make the Co-op not only solvent but successful. If there’s any way I can spread the word of the Co-op, even casually, about the value of keeping the wealth of a business within the community, I try to. It’s the work of caring, but the business has to be viable and smart. The Board has a limited but important role. We’re not running the day-to-day of the business, but we’re learning to provide value where we can. We want consistent, strong leadership on the Board but we’re always doing that with a group of people who are turning over — naturally, as our terms have year-limits. It’s deeply satisfying to be a part of this world. I really have enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the food business, and the food co-op business. We’ve had the opportunity to see many different communities — you and I were up in South Philly in this little co-op…people think THIS food co-op is small? This is huge compared to their operation!
C: It was cute though, it was so freaking cute.
B: It was awesome. The little herb garden in the back? (Chloe goes ‘Mmhmm!!!’) I’ve been to some pretty huge food co-ops too, like the Common Market up in Frederick. They have two stores, one of them is in a former Safeway! It’s the size of a Safeway! It’s great to learn about how the struggles that co-ops go through are pretty universal; the issues that come up at the co-ops in different communities, rural or urban, all have commonalities. That energizes you, and makes the role of being a Board Member at TPSS more rewarding because you feel that you’re part of a bigger network. I knew that from the electric co-ops, where individually they were small by utility size, but collectively they go into contracts together to buy power and get political representation. They use that collective power of hundreds of co-ops to work together toward the same end. The co-operative form of business, to me, is the most under-appreciated form of business there is. It could be the most valuable form of business there is. Co-operative business doesn’t even scratch the surface of its potential in this country. Some people think co-ops only work in certain business settings, I think the structure is more expansive than that. Where there’s a need, using a co-op is a great way to go. The whole mega-corporatization of everything is oppressive and co-ops are a beacon of light. But they’re not perfect, and they’re hard to maintain. It’s hard! Many food co-ops are starting up all around the country, but they often go through years getting off the ground. Organizing members, raising enough money — they often try to go to traditional banks for financing and are politely laughed out of the room. They turn to people who say they want to pool their resources and start a community grocery store and begin with community financing and loans and that’s how many co-ops begin. It’s hard, but it’s well worth it.
C: We’ve been struggling with this question —
B: What’s my favorite color?
C: Do you want to answer that?
B: Oh, I don’t know. Purple probably.
C: (laughs) What has been the biggest/most impactful/poignant lesson you’ve learned on the Board? It’s hard to pin it down.
B: Wooooo. Damn. I think that your ideas coming into Board service, your ideas of what you’re actually going to do and should do and what any Board member can and should do, might not be viable. And you have to swallow your preconceptions, and maybe your pride, and realize that your role is not just what you may think is what’s most exciting for you to do, and that also may not be what the Co-op needs. When I worked on the Membership Committee, before I was a Board Member, Mike (our GM) was there and your predecessor was there, and a lot of Board Members came. We would get almost the entire Board showing up, and many people from the community. A ton of ideas would be flying around — oh, “This is great!”, and “No, this is great!” and when I got on the Board I realized if the Co-op is going to do anything, it’s not the Board who is going to execute. The Board can support an idea and encourage it, but if we try to do too many things it can actually be confusing and frustrating with regard to the actual success of the store. You have to back off of your preconceptions of what Board work is and be open to learning what might be the best role for you on the Board. Check your ego at the door, I guess.
C: We’re switching — it used to be ‘What is your favorite winter meal?’ but it’s a new season. What’s your favorite spring meal?
B: There are meals by the season? Wow.
C: Perhaps I should rephrase the question. What is your favorite meal to eat in the spring season?
B: (laughs) Chloe, I’m ready to eat all the foods any time of the year. What would be a reasonable thing to say? I mean, it is the time to eat more fresh salads. I love salads with a million ingredients that are really spicy and tasty. I’m always looking for something that will not be too much of a good thing. Summer is even better — you take advantage of whatever food is available and growing at that fruitful time of the year. When I was living in the West Indies, it was more like, “What fruit is in season?” They have these beautiful mangoes…I had a mango tree, I would sit in that tree and just (makes slurping noises) just eat all of those mangoes…
C: (laughing hard)
B: I would eat those all of those mangoes. But that was only 3 weeks of the year. Those beautiful mangoes. In the States, we’re so spoiled and used to having fruits like blueberries year-round. I really like when blueberries are in-season locally. That’s when I plan a meal around what is fresh and available. In general, coming into spring I’m looking for fresher foods. In the winter, you want warm and filling. Spring, you want to be lighter and eating food that feels that way. I’ll always go for an Asian dish — something with pasta, something with a lot of spice. I can eat all kinds of things year-round.
C: How or why would you recommend running for the Board to another member-owner?
B: I think it’s what I was saying before. If you appreciate being part of a locally-owned business and that appeals to you — I think you need to have a feeling of, “This is an important part of our fabric of life in Takoma Park.” If that resonates with you, that’s a good reason to consider participating at a higher level by running for the Board and serving. The Co-op needs good leaders from among the membership to be on the Board. You don’t have to be someone who knows about the food business or someone who knows about the co-op business. You just need to appreciate this local business and appreciate how important it is to have this community-owned business that needs you. Target doesn’t need you, Amazon doesn’t need you except to give them dollars. This business needs people to participate in the actual financial security and future of the business so that it is here tomorrow for the future residents of the city. Hopefully this Co-op can grow and bring this business model to other parts of the DMV — either as a mentor or either physically opening another store. That’s an exciting thing to be a part of. As a Board Member, you can make this business relevant to more people.
C: I skipped a question! What’s your favorite restaurant? It doesn’t have to be in Takoma Park, but it should be in the DMV.
B: The café/restaurant type business that I absolutely adore is — and has meant so much to me — is Kefa Café in Silver Spring.
C: That is a great answer. That is so good.
B: The sisters that run it — they’ve been affected by the Purple Line running right past their business — they’re brought such great joy to me and many other people. My gym used to be the Washington Sports Club in Silver Spring. Before work, I would go there and do spin class and yoga. I would always then have breakfast at Kefa Café and proceed to work. It was such a pleasure going in there, and they made me feel so welcome. I was telling Abbeba (one of the sisters) about a procedure I’m undergoing, and she was so heartfelt in thought for me. She sent me several naturopathic alternatives to conventional medicine. Then Lene, her sister, called me just the other day. I do Meals on Wheels deliveries —
C: Seriously?! I didn’t know that.
B: Yup! I was in the middle of my route, and Lene calls me and she goes, “Bob, Abbeba just told me about what you’re going through…” It was so wonderful. These are the kind of people — that a business owner would call me and check in about how I’m doing? You can’t find that anywhere. Only very special places. Kefa Café is a very special place.
C: What would you like to impart to the readers of the newsletter and the website?
B: When we have an event — whether it’s Earth Day, or our Spring Member Meeting at Koiner Farm, if you’ve got some time — come out and enjoy it. You’re not going to have to sit through a lot of speeches. Come meet neighbors and meet other Co-op members. Enjoy and learn a little bit about what this Co-op is like. Some people who have come to these events in the past have ended up running for the Board.
Bob can be reached at bob.gibson@tpssboard.com.