New Directors Join FMC Board
Posted On: July 21, 2008
After hosting FMC’s first ever web-based member meeting July 14th through 18th, FMC is proud to welcome eight new Directors to the Board:
Copper Alvarez, Director, Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance/Manager, Red Stick Farmers Market (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
- Chris Curtis, Director, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (Seattle, WA)
- Cheryl DeBerry, Co-Owner, DeBerry Farm (Oakland, MD)
- Michael Hurwitz, Executive Director, New York City Greenmarket (New York, NY)
- Brigitte Moran, Director, Marin Farmers Markets (San Rafael, CA)
- Bernie Prince, Co-Founder/Manager, FRESHFARM Markets (Washington, DC)
- Leslie Schaller, Director, Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (Athens, OH)
- Ruth White, State Programs Administrator, Minnesota Department of Agriculture (St. Paul, MN)
In addition to these new Directors, four incumbents were re-elected to a second term, including Jeff Cole (Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets), Diane Eggert (New York Farmers’ Market Federation), Andrew Stout (Full Circle Farm), and Don Wambles (Alabama Farmers Market Authority).
With unanticipated levels of interest in these volunteer leadership positions, the FMC Nominations Committee extends a hearty thanks the additional candidates who were not selected for the slate, as well as ballot write-ins. We invite them to participate in committees and to continue being active members who will be considered for future openings on the board.
Together, the twelve candidates have approximately 167 years of experience with farmers markets, whether as a farmer vendor, market manager, leader of a statewide or regional farmers market association, or a representative of a state agency involved with farmers markets. The existing board of nine Directors is delighted to welcome its new members and looks forward to working as a team in order to better address present and future needs of farmers markets.
In addition to electing the proposed slate, members also voted on two proposed paths for the adoption of a definition for farmers markets. While the majority of members supported or suggested slight edits to a brief and simple definition, there was also support for set of common elements designed to encompass and encourage more specific state and local definitions. With no clear mandate from the membership, the board will continue to refine this effort to offer a common language for farmers markets throughout the country. Thank you to all the members who have provided input on this process, and please stay tuned for updates.
