Elizabeth Kolbe

Statement of Candidacy

Why do you want to serve on the Wheatsfield Board of Directors?

I believe cooperatives like Wheatsfield are vital to economic and community development around local food and agricultural systems.

I was first elected to the Wheatsfield Board in 2013, re-elected in 2016 and 2019. For the last two years I have served as board president. As we continue to grow to mature as a co-op and attend to loans incurred during the expansion, I want continue serving the membership as a board member. I have been impressed with the management and employees of Wheatsfield, and the many members who have shown their support by shopping, investing, or donating to the co-op.

Please describe any skills or experience (such as financial literacy, legal, strategic planning, communications, etc.) that you would bring to the Wheatsfield Board of Directors.

I feel that my knowledge base, skill-set and personality are well-suited to communicating with members and reaching sound decisions with board members and management. When I was first elected as a newly-arrive Ames resident I was interested in the Co-op and local foods; now I am also invested in the people that drive those systems!

A list of my resume skills may include: Data management and analysis, knowledge of food systems, experience with other food cooperatives, non-profit work, grant-writing, strategic communication, interpersonal communication, listening, teamwork, event planning, project management, facilitation.

What are your hopes for the future of Wheatsfield and its role in the community?

For many years Wheatsfield has offered natural products and provided the community space to connect with one another. While others stores now also offer some natural products, Wheatsfield remains unique in its focus on local products, and its sustained commitment to community engagement. I hope we continue to find new ways to invite customers to connect with the local economy through their shopping, and to sit and visit with each other longer and more frequently. I also hope the store will continue to be profitable, make sound financial decisions for the future, and provide patronage to members.

Please share anything about yourself including hobbies, passions, family members, etc.

I grew up in Grinnell. I earned my Bachelor’s degree at Colorado College and a Master’s degree in Agroecosystems Management at The Ohio State University. While living in Wooster, OH, I was a “super-volunteer” at our local food co-op, Local Roots. In 2013 I moved back to Iowa, to Ames, to work at Practical Farmers of Iowa. My job at PFI is to oversee strategy and operations for PFI’s farmer-led education team, including farmer-led education events and outreach. I live in Ames with my partner, David, and in my free time I enjoy playing almost any sport and being outside.

Maral Erol

Statement of Candidacy

Why do you want to serve on the Wheatsfield Board of Directors?

As a new member of the Ames community, and a person interested in issues of food justice, sustainability and food security, I want to contribute to Wheatsfield Co-op to develop a better understanding for the workings of the cooperative as well as giving back to the community. Since I arrived in Ames, Wheatsfield has been the place where I felt most welcome, and I want to be more active in supporting an institution I believe in.

Please describe any skills or experience (such as financial literacy, legal, strategic planning, communications, etc.) that you would bring to the Wheatsfield Board of Directors.

I have more than ten years of teaching experience that I believe can translate into communicating knowledge on the cooperative, its values and activities to the community and other audiences. I also have some strategic planning skills, based on a more limited experience as a department chair of a service department for a university. In terms of decision-making in collaborative environments, I have been a founding member of a small professional network for scholars since 2016, and volunteered for the local food co-op in Besiktas, Istanbul for about a year.

What are your hopes for the future of Wheatsfield and its role in the community?

I am hoping that Wheatsfield will sustain its central place in Ames, with even increasing connections to the community. I think the co-op is already doing a great job at fulfilling the requirements of its core values, but I would love to see even better ties with local producers, and perhaps more ways to facilitate interaction between the local producers and the community.

Please share anything about yourself including hobbies, passions, family members, etc.

I am an interdisciplinary social scientist from Turkey, who recently located to Ames following my partner. I’m passionate about issues of social justice, protecting biodiversity and egalitarian and fair communities. Most recently, I have been learning more about heirloom seeds and seed exchanges. I am also a novice gardener with a very experimental garden who is thrilled to see hummingbirds visit my flowers. Wheatsfield Co-op and Ames Library are two of my favorite places in Ames.

Jeff Kushkowski

Statement of Candidacy

Why do you want to serve on the Wheatsfield Board of Directors?

It has been my privilege to serve as a member of the Board of Directors for the past three years. During COVID, the staff and members of Wheatsfield were resilient in the face of a global pandemic and did more than just survive – we thrived and grew stronger! I’m proud to be associated with Wheatsfield because of the dedication of the staff, members and volunteers who support the store. I look forward to continuing my board service and supporting Wheatsfield’s mission to provide local, sustainable food to the community.

Please describe any skills or experience (such as financial literacy, legal, strategic planning, communications, etc.) that you would bring to the Wheatsfield Board of Directors.

I am a professor at the Iowa State University Library, where I am the Head of Instruction Services, and the subject librarian for business, economics, and entrepreneurship. I teach about library business resources to students and faculty in the Ivy College of Business; consult with students and faculty about research projects, and serve on a committee that directs the entrepreneurship minor curriculum at ISU.

My experience also includes strategic planning, policy development, staff evaluation (both at the library and for promotion and tenure reviews at other institutions), and staff training and development.

What are your hopes for the future of Wheatsfield and its role in the community?

I want Wheatsfield to continue providing an experience that includes partnering with local producers, providing educational programs, and supporting the greater Ames Community. I would like to see Wheatsfield partner with ISU to provide opportunities for student interns to learn about the business side of sustainable agriculture.

Please share anything about yourself including hobbies, passions, family members, etc.

Baseball is a passion – I’ve been a Boston Red Sox fan since I was young. I catch as many games as I can on radio or in person when the team is nearby. My hobbies are travel, cooking, and reading. I’ve traveled extensively with my family – we have been to all 50 US state capitols and over 60 national parks and monuments. My spouse works in the School of Education at Iowa State and my daughter is a graduate student in Chicago.

Duane Pitcher

Statement of Candidacy

Why do you want to serve on the Wheatsfield Board of Directors?

Wheatsfield Co-op provides an important prepared food, grocery, and community service option not offered elsewhere in Ames. Starting with my first job at Dralle’s Grocery in Greene, Iowa working everything from stocking shelves, bagging and carryout to meat and produce I learned the value of a smaller community retail grocery store. I have a strong background in financial management and would like to contribute to helping Wheatsfield continue to achieve its mission of providing a local community-based food option.

Please describe any skills or experience (such as financial literacy, legal, strategic planning, communications, etc.) that you would bring to the Wheatsfield Board of Directors.

Over 30 years’ experience in finance, investment, and benefit management. Board experience includes over 20 years as a trustee for the statewide police officer and firefighter pension plan where I participated in the strategic planning process for the organization. I hold an active CPA license and Certified Public Finance Officer designation. Managed the economic development assistance program at the City of Ames for around 20 years helping large and small businesses grow locally. Served for 30 years as a Supply Corps Officer in the US Navy leading Naval logistics and financial management, retiring as a Captain in 2013.

What are your hopes for the future of Wheatsfield and its role in the community?

I hope that Wheatsfield continues to provide a grocery alternative for the Ames area with a focus on local food, community service, and friendly customer service. We have a growing number of small local food providers in Iowa and the success of Wheatsfield is not only good for Ames but can also help smaller towns across Iowa.

Please share anything about yourself including hobbies, passions, family members, etc.

My spouse Raveevun (Oye) and I have lived in Ames for over 22 years. Our children Adriana and Thomas attended Ames public schools and have since completed advanced degrees and now live in Des Moines and Minneapolis. Hobbies include cycling, photography, home improvement, and travel. We all like to cook and I think Oye makes the best Thai food in Ames.

Deb Russell

Statement of Candidacy

Why do you want to serve on the Wheatsfield Board of Directors?

I love Wheatsfield for the wonderful food and for the atmosphere of friendly personal service. It provides quality products without a large-scale space. Shopping there is a pleasant experience from first entering the building to checking out. Everyone is pleasant and courteous. I always read the newsletters which have built my trust in how products are sourced and how the organization is managed. I believe my financial and communication skills as well as experience working with other boards would be of value. Since I retired a year ago, I am looking for
opportunities to give back to the community.

Please describe any skills or experience (such as financial literacy, legal, strategic planning, communications, etc.) that you would bring to the Wheatsfield Board of Directors.

During thirty years as a Certified Public Accountant, I was Chief Financial Officer for three not-for-profit organizations: Opportunity Living, Friendship Haven and Northcrest Community (2014-2021). I was directly involved in strategic planning, building projects, financing, human resources, and working with the boards for each of those organizations. Prior to that I spent ten years in public accounting. I have been active in state and local organizations including being the president of Daybreak Rotary in Fort Dodge, treasurer of LeadingAge Iowa, boards of Alzheimer’s Association, Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, and Ames Noon Kiwanis.

What are your hopes for the future of Wheatsfield and its role in the community?

I hope to see Wheatsfield continue its unique and significant role in our community. I hope to see that it is able to maintain the financial strength necessary to provide quality products and excellent service to its customers. I hope it will continue to be a good employer where people know they are valued for the work they do. I hope it will become more well-known and attract more customers. I hope it will continue its educational offerings to community members.

Please share anything about yourself including hobbies, passions, family members, etc.

I love to cook, especially trying out new recipes. Gardening and bicycling are my main hobbies. I grew up on a farm and love animals and being outdoors. We have two dogs and two cats, all rescued from local shelters. My husband retired as business manager for a pipe organ builder in Lake City. I have two sons and one grandson who live in Ames. I am a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association and facilitate a local support group.