Louise Dix: Elected Vice President of the Co-op Board, Louise has been involved in producer and consumer cooperatives throughout the Northwest for twenty plus years. She has been a member of numerous consumer cooperatives and helped to manage a producer cooperative in the Pike Place Market in the 1980′s. She served as the Farmer Liaison for the Pike Place Market for four years and as the President of the Northwest Farmers Market Association for 6 years. She and her husband, Jim Bauermeister, raised organic produce and sold through farmers markets and a CSA for many years in Washington State. Louise was fortunate to attend the Consumer Cooperative Management Association Conference, which was held in Portland in June, 2008 and learned a lot about start up cooperatives. She is currently employed as the Neighborhood Resource Coordinator for the City of Medford.
Steven Kraft: Steven moved to the Rogue Valley in 2004 from Crested Butte, Colorado where he was a Realtor and Property Manager. Steven has overseen the direction of many Homeowner Associations and has served on several Boards in the past. He currently is a Housing Rehabilitation Specialist with the Housing Authority of Jackson County. Steven and his wife Abigail are one of the first 100 members of the Medford Market. Steven believes strongly in the economic and social effect that the Medford Food Co-op will have on the local community. He believes that the market can be more then a place to buy sustainable and organic food. “It will be the kind of place where people can meet new people, learn and expand their environment and social responsibilities. The Medford Food Co-op will create strong viable business atmosphere that will provide and grow a stronger community in Southern Oregon.”
Tommy Larson: Tommy is a native Oregonian, raised in the Eugene and Portland area. He has an engineering degree from the US Air Force Academy, and a Masters Degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. Experienced in project management, system development, engineering and modeling, and sustainable building. USAF Reserves pilot and commercial pilot for United Airlines.
John Miele: John is retired from the National Park Services after 36 years of service. He worked at Crater Lake National Park, overseeing the $7 million business operation, including the concession program, 2 hotels, the retail grocery store, and campground operations. Currently residing in Central Point with my wife Kasoin. Activities include tending a large organic garden.
Jim Sims: Elected President of the Co-op Board, Jim currently lives in Medford and has been a resident of Jackson County for 36 years. He is an attorney and the former Chairman of the Board of Southern Oregon Public Television and a former City Councilman in Ashland. Jim was also a Board Member of the Ashland Food Co-op during its early years.
John Statler: John owns Computer Services Northwest, which caters to small businesses. He is past President of the Medford Market Board of Directors. John has almost 20 years of community service in the Rogue Valley, most recently having completed a four year term on the
Medford City Council. John is excited about the cultural values that a food cooperative would bring to Medford
Will Taft: Owner Liason Officer. A resident of Medford for 14 years, Will grew up in New Hampshire and graduated with a degree in Life Sciences and Agriculture from the University of N.H. He helped start the a food co-op while in college and has been a member of the Ashland Food Co-op since 1996. In addition to a mid-life period in the corporate world of San Francisco, he has worked both in wholesale and retail agriculture and more recently in horticulture. He is committed to educating about healthy, sustainable, living, and passionate about all the benefits a community food co-op will bring to Medford.
