As the weather turns cooler in Austin, Member-Owners execute their right to vote for open positions on the Black Star Co-op board. The Board of Directors provide leadership and guidance that supports the Co-op’s mission, vision, and goals on behalf of the Member-Owners through personal responsibility and effective governance through well-written policies. Learn more about the candidates through their answers to the “Questions for the Candidate” section in their submitted candidacy application or by attending the Member’s Assembly on Sunday, October 27th from 12-2pm. Electronic vote casting begins October 1 and ends October 31 with in-person ballots available at the Member’s Assembly.
Questions for the Candidate
Greg Cumpton
- Why are you interested in serving on the
Board of Directors of the Co-op?
The
fiscal position of Black Star dimmed suddenly in first month of my joining the
Board just under three years ago (I’m sure this was correlation and not
causation). Members arrived in droves to
support the Co-op. Without their
support, Black Star would not be here.
It’s time for Black Star Co-op to put members first. I look forward to representing them on the
Board.
- What goals would you like to see Black
Star Co-op achieve in the next year?
Five years?
In
the short term I would like to see improved efforts to engage current members
and expansive efforts to increase the number of new members. I want to attend a
Member’s Assembly meeting where there are no empty seats! In five years, I’d like all the facilities
issues completely resolved.
- What qualities and past experience do you
have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of Directors?
I
am just finishing my first term on the Board which went from fiscal crisis to
stability. I hope to apply the skills
I’ve learned to another three years on the Board.
- 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 Co-op already stands out from other local brewpubs. Other breweries and brewpubs have fans; Black
Star has member-owners. Other brewpubs
pay their staff the federal tipped minimum wage; Black Star pays a living
wage. Other brewpubs and breweries join
and support people and organizations that promote local beer (that’s good,
yes); Black Star does that AND advocates for policies ensuring a quality
workplace locally and nationally. Let’s
be honest, we can drink award winning beer all over Austin, but no award
winning beer tastes as righteous as Black Star’s.
- What is your favorite Co-operative
Principle and why?
Democratic
member control. Members have a voice at
Black Star. I want to hear those voices
more clearly and more often over the next three years.
James Farris
- Why are you interested in serving on the
Board of Directors of the Co-op?
I
believe strongly in the mission and vision for Black Star Co-op. I have been a longtime patron of the Co-op
and a member since 1997, when I attended my first members assembly. I love the sense of community, both among
members and staff and the way the Black Star acts on the seven co-op principles
to be a positive part of the larger community.
I believe Black Star is something special in the Austin brewpub scene
and would like to take a more active role in supporting and strengthening it.
- What goals would you like to see Black
Star Co-op achieve in the next year?
Five years?
I
would like to see Black Star strengthen its financial position, while growing
the awareness among existing and potential patrons of the unique qualities and
features that set it apart within the brewpub scene in Austin. I would like to see it continue to make
strides in building a community around the co-op mission as well as high
quality beer and food offerings that incorporate member input in the
development and selection.
- What qualities and past experience do you
have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of Directors?
Passion
for this place (I’m literally filling this application out while I sit at the
bar). I also have a broad set of skills
and experience gained from my degrees in Math and Public Affairs and working in
jobs doing data analysis, program evaluation, performance improvement, and
policy development in state government.
- Name one way in which you’d like the
Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery to stand out from other local brewpubs.
Community
and customer involvement. I think the
key ingredient in what makes Black Star special to me is the spirit of
involvement and cooperation that underpin its founding and business model. I love to tell people about the living wage
paid to staff, the way the folks who work here have direct input into how
things are run, how members are more than just customers – they’re owners, and
how all these things come together into celebration of work, quality,
integrity, and beer.
- What is your favorite Co-operative
Principle and why?
Democratic
member control. This principle, where
members and staff have a stake in establishing the community and priorities is
a key to what Black Star offers. These
days when you can go online and order anything from anywhere, or drop-in on
snapshots of life from friends or celebrities and click to show your feels,
this principle says you’re not just buying a commodity when you become a member
or patronize the co-op, you’re participating in a community. When you come to events or talk to staff
you’re not emoting into the ether, you have voice in shaping this community.
Gabriel Prado
- Why are you interested in serving on the
Board of Directors of the Co-op?
As
a true Austinite (born and raised), I’m very passionate about local businesses
and the unique impression they leave on our beautiful, ever changing city. The Black Star principles and symbiotic
relationship with the local community are a great embodiment of what I believe
Austin to be and should have more of.
I’ve been looking for an opportunity to join the board of a local
business and pledge to use my time and background to further the mission and
set Black Star as the shining example of the co-op model.
- What goals would you like to see Black
Star Co-op achieve in the next year?
Five years?
Short-term
in the next year I’d like to see Black Star expand engagement with its local
member owner community and start to execute on innovative new ideas to drive
traffic and renewed interest in the Black Star mission. In five years, I’d like to see Black Star
expand its footprint with new strategic partnerships that generate value for
all stakeholders and help carry the Black Star name like other well-known
Austin breweries.
- What qualities and past experience do you
have for serving on the Black Star Co-op Board of Directors?
I’ve
been curating a very diverse set of business skills over my career including
sales, product management, pricing, and product marketing. While those skills have been honed in the
tech space, I am ready to apply the same critical thinking and strategy to a
much more personal type of business.
Personally, I tend to take a lot of ownership in success and love to
coach the others around me with best practices and lessons learned.
- Name one way in which you’d like the
Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery to stand out from other local brewpubs.
I
think there is a huge opportunity to make Black Star the “third place” for
those who drink beer-just how coffee shops have become a third place for
many. I think this requires developing
an understanding of what people need in that “third place” and what Black Star
can do to facilitate and encourage it. I
see it as a third place for many, but it’s still subject to a lot of
competition in the surrounding area.
Let’s understand our members and further develop that vision of the
third-place.
- What is your favorite Co-operative
Principle and why?
Democratic member control. I believe this to be incredibly important as an exchange of diverse backgrounds and ideas that can all play on a level playing field. I think the means to be able to have a voice is much more valuable than being able to pay more for a louder voice. I also appreciate this principle because it isn’t always easy. Members need to be engaged, informed, and have a personal interest in the voting outcomes-all of which are very hard to measure, making it a particularly interesting challenge!
Cast Your Vote HERE