The Medford Food Co-op is owned by thousands of community members who each purchased a share of the business. The Board of Directors is composed of owners and elected by the owners in the annual election. The Board of Directors carries out the mission and vision of the Co-op with a focus on its long-term direction. The Board hires the General Manager (GM) to develop and implement business operations commensurate with the Co-op's mission and vision. The GM is responsible for following policies established by the Board governing management and operation of the Co-op.

The Board uses a system of governance called policy governance. Policy governance differentiates and defines the roles and responsibilities of the Board and the GM. Policy governance is a system to organize the work of the Board, as well as for the top leadership team of the Co-op. It is a system for the Board and GM to collaboratively function together. You may not be familiar with this system even if you have experience serving on a board. To learn more, click the button below to read the Board's Introduction to Policy Governance.