Board Candidates
Graham Green
A Brentwood local, keen beer drinker and home-brewer graham is originally from the land of cask
beer (England) but has acclimatized well to Austin since moving here in 2013. His wife (an austin
original), claims he becomes a little more Texan every day, a claim he disputes. His main gig is in product
marketing for a local engineering firm, where he employs strategic, project management and
evangelism skill that he hopes to bring to the black star board. His side gigs include, playing trombone in
a local jazz band, spoiling his small white fluffy dog, and eating good cheese – all skills and activities with
less direct use during board meetings, but who knows what the future brings…. Graham is excited about
continuing to serve the black star coop members and contributing to support and build a quality
neighborhood pub!
Candidate’s Questions:
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Directors of the Co-op?
I was talking to a worker at the coop the other day, and he explained how at BlackStar, for the first time,
he has a voice. He has a say in how the business runs, and in his own destiny with it. This is the
difference between our coop and the average bar you might walk into. We have a business model where
people come together, so that everybody is valued, and everybody wins.
However, this doesn’t all come for free. To make it work will take time, effort, and belief. I have served
on the board for three years now. It’s not been the three years I expected, but together with the
workers assembly we have built a stronger position coming out of the pandemic than going in.
I feel I’ve spent my first term on the board learning, about our Co-op, about our people and about our
needs. A second term would allow me to contribute more as I can hit the ground running.
2. What goals would you like to see Black Star Co-op achieve in the next year? Five years?
In the next five years I would like Black Star to grow our presence in the community. This means
reaching a wider audience and building a deeper relationship with each person we touch. Not only will
this be good for the business, but it will allow us to evangelize our values.
3. What qualities and past experience do you have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of
Directors?
I work for a large tech company here in Austin where I specialize in go-to-market strategy and marketing
evangelism. The primary short/medium term need for the coop is to get more people into the pub and
raise our topline. This will give us more flexibility to get beyond day-to-day operational stress and start
investing strategically for the long-term success of the coop. This is a marketing a sales function, which I
have experience in and can advise effectively.
4. Name one way in which you’d like the Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery to stand out from other
local brewpubs.
BlackStar is a community as well as a pub. It is a made by its people more than its building or even its
beer. I would like to see BlackStar continuing to invest in the great people in the workers assembly,
supporting member/owners, and bringing in the local community too.
BlackStar will stand out from other brewpubs when more people here in Austin describe it as “my pub”,
rather than just “a pub”.
5. What is your favorite Co-operative Principle and why?
I think the democratic processes within the coop are important (no 2) but my favorite is 7 – concern for
the community. As stated earlier in this brief – BlackStar has an opportunity to lead by example with a
set of values and business model that allows everyone to win. I do not believe that BlackStar should
become some kind of political action group but we can influence those around us towards a better and
more just society (full of happy, beer drinking people).
Autumn Kervella
Hi! My name is Autumn and I’m a rare Austin Native! I grew up in the Crestview neighborhood and
come from a family of Black Star Co-op Members! I graduated from Trinity University with a degree in
Communication, but currently work in Education Tech and am also a small business owner (Brew Pub +
Coffee Roasters in the Philippines)! I enjoy all things craft (beer + food) and I look forward to working
and getting to know you all soon!
Candidate’s Questions:
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Directors of the Co-op?
I’ve grown up in the neighborhood, in the beer world and basically at Black Star, through the
involvement of my parents. It’s time to be involved myself! I am looking forward to continuing the
growth of Black Star and assisting in any way possible!
2. What goals would you like to see Black Star Co-op achieve in the next year? Five years?
Black Star is a wonderfully unique organization that I think is just more or less unknown to most
Austinites. I want to see the reach of Black Star grow this year, specifically on Social Media. With the
continued growth of Austin- specifically outward into smaller neighborhoods (like
Crestview/Brentwood), Black Star will have the opportunity to grow as a known neighborhood pub more
and more. With new apartments popping-up everywhere and the growth of the FC team the
opportunities for growth in these 2 demographics is very exciting!
3. What qualities and past experience do you have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of
Directors?
In addition to seeing Black Star grow over ten years as a customer, I have also lived across the US and
abroad and witnessed a lot of similar ideas – and been a part of creating my own brew-pub. Two years
ago, I opened a small brewpub and Coffee Roasters in the Philippines and much of my passion and
excitement was due to seeing Black Star grow! After working in the industry and being a small business
owner, I bring a similar experience. I worked specifically in marketing and social media for the business,
which saw a 300% growth in one year. I am also an active member of my community and regularly go
out, so I look forward to spreading the word about Black Star.
4. Name one way in which you’d like the Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery to stand out from other local
brewpubs.
Black Star is so socially responsible and involved in city and community efforts and organizations – a fact
I believe most customers don’t realize. I would like to see the continuation of these efforts and to
highlight them amongst community members and member owners. Meals for the homeless, paid time
off, Wish You Were Queer ( brewed in collab with Out Youth!) are just a few of things I think our
member owners could be more involved with. By featuring some of these efforts I’d like to see the
community support grow around the principles that make Black Star so unique.
5. What is your favorite Co-operative Principle and why?
My favorite principle of the co-op is #5, as it is concerned with the education part of the co-op,
specifically to “inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders”. Educating the
community about co-operatives in general and the value of it is what makes Black Star stand out from
other brew-pubs in Austin. Providing education and peaking interest in younger people in the
community lends to growth and social awareness.
Jeffrey W. Ouellette
Jeffrey W. Ouellette is a technology and culture progress advocate for the global built asset
industry (buildings and infrastructure). Leveraging his past 30+ years of experience in design,
construction, and software development and marketing, he is an independent consultant for local,
national, and international companies and organizations that desire to utilize standards and industry
best practices as they work to become more digitally adept. Jeff’s work provides him an opportunity to
regularly travel around the world and enthusiastically experience beer, food, and social culture in all its
many varieties… stories he will gladly share with you over a pint. He has been a resident of Austin since
1996 and is married to a native Austinite, Rebecca, with whom have two kids and a dog… all frequent,
and appreciative, patrons of the Co-op
.
Candidate’s Questions:
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Board of Directors of the Co-op?
I have been a member-owner since 02/23/2018, less than a year after my family first moved into
Midtown Commons. The Co-op has been my go-to refuge through thick and thin, being able to celebrate
or commiserate with my family, friends, and fellow patrons. It is an integral part of the community I live
in and source of many new friendships and comraderies. I feel like it is important for me to serve and
participate more deeply in an organization that I believe in and cherish.
2. What goals would you like to see Black Star Co-op achieve in the next year? Five years?
I would like to see the Co-op get its sales, hours, and staffing back up to prepandemic levels in the next
year, even slightly exceeding them. In five years, I would like to see us have more events with more
community partners. I think people really appreciate when establishments like the Co-op work to
support local non-profits – charities and social-service organizations – providing opportunities for patrons
to “give a little, get a little” in a social atmosphere. It would also be nice to host more unique live music
events in semi-regular fashion (e.g. Austin Bluegrass Improv).
3. What qualities and past experience do you have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of
Directors?
I am lucky enough to travel the world through my professional work and experience pub, food, and
social life in many other cultures. I hope that sharing such experiences can give the Co-op members,
board, and workers inspiration in finding new opportunities and ways of bringing the co-op experience
to more people. My current consulting role has me working with other non-profit organizations and my
previous professional experience also includes product marketing and sales for an international
software company. I hope I can bring ideas from those experiences to make the Co-op an even better
experience for even more people.
4. Name one way in which you’d like the Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery to 6 stand out from
other local brewpubs.
I think the Co-op’s 7th principle, Concern for Community, can be further leveraged and promoted, by
engaging our local community organizations in a way most pubs don’t even consider and then getting
more press coverage for day-to-day operations as much as community-centric work and events. It may
be easier for the Co-op to stand out in a nexus of neighborhoods like Crestview/Highland/Brentwood,
where the pub options are scarcer, but it is even more compelling to expand our idea of “Concern for
Community” throughout the city and influence the behavior of consumers and other businesses.
5. What is your favorite Co-operative Principle and why?
#2 – Democratic Member Control. In an age where no one feels like they have any control or influence
over so many aspects of their life, having an opportunity to give a voice to your concerns and desires for
something that you are involved with on a daily, or casual, basis, is meaningful and unique.