Jeff Kushkowski

Statement of Candidacy

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

One of my early childhood memories is collecting eggs on my grandfather’s chicken farm (I
hated reaching under the chickens!). The nearby co-op provided a market for his eggs. Last
year I volunteered to be a member of the Wheatsfield Finance Committee and that experience
sparked a desire to be more involved. Wheatsfield’s success is due to the dedication of staff,
volunteers, and members who support the store. I want to be a part of that continued success
by serving as a board member to support 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 ISU Library, where I am the Instruction and Information Services Coordinator. I’m also the subject librarian for business and economics. I teach about library business resources to students and faculty in the Ivy College of Business; consult with faculty and graduate students about research projects, and serve on a committee that directs the entrepreneurship minor curriculum at ISU. Beyond the teaching and research consultations, my experience includes strategic planning, policy development, staff evaluation (both at the library and for external 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 to see Wheatsfield continue to provide an experience that includes partnering with local producers, providing educational programs, and supporting the greater Ames Community. It would be great to see Wheatsfield partner with ISU to provide opportunities for student interns to learn about the business side of sustainable agriculture. There are opportunities to share how Wheatsfield contributes to sustainable food systems with community and faith groups in Ames. This would another avenue for educating the community about the value of sustainable, local food and Wheatsfield’s mission.

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, reading, and cross stitch. I’ve traveled extensively with my family – we have been to all 50 US state capitols and over 60 national parks and monuments. I spent a week at the Culinary Institute of America to celebrate earning tenure. My spouse works in the School of Education at ISU and a daughter who is a graduate student in Chicago.

Liz 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 and was re-elected in 2016. As we continue to grow into our new space and attend to loans incurred during the expansion, I want continue serving the membership as a board member through another term. 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 coop.

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 Coop 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 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 coop, Local Roots. In 2013 I moved back to Iowa, to Ames, to work at Practical Farmers of Iowa. My job at PFI is to help fruit and vegetable farmers conduct on-farm research and facilitate farmer-led events where farmers serve as the experts, creating and sharing agricultural knowledge. In my free time I enjoy playing almost any sport and being outside.

Stefan Gailans

Statement of Candidacy

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

I wish to continue to serve my favorite grocery store and one of my favorite places in Ames. I love the sense of community and well being that Wheatsfield Cooperative promotes. I have enjoyed working with a diverse group of fellow directors, learning more about how the coop operates, and watching Wheatsfield become a very special part of the Ames community while serving on the board for the past nine years. I wish to continue working with the enthusiastic board and the store’s talented general manager, and help to grow Wheatsfield’s success and popularity.

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 served on the board of directors for the past nine years and while doing so have familiarized myself with many of the inner-workings and facets of Wheatsfield in terms of its decision making, financial status, organizational policies, and responsibility to its members and community. For the past two years I have served as board president. As changes and competition have entered the grocery landscape in Ames and challenged Wheatsfield, my experience on the board and familiarity with the cooperative puts me in a position to help Wheatsfield persevere through these challenges. I am ready and willing to continue to serve!

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

A successful Wheatsfield for all to enjoy! Wheatsfield has become a fixture in Downtown Ames – known as THE source for locally- and sustainably-sourced foods as well as a community gathering space. This combination of offerings and community is what sets it apart from other food retailers – the dedicated staff deserves most of the credit and praise for this. With Wheatsfield’s importance to its members and local community ever rising, I see more opportunities for sourcing locally raised foods and more opportunities for offering popular events. In the future, I can only see Wheatsfield growing in terms of its role in our members’ and future members’ lives.

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

I have been a member-owner of Wheatsfield since 2008. As Wheatsfield became more and more important to me I decided to run for election to the board of directors in 2010 and give back to Wheatsfield. I can safely say that I have never regretted that decision! I am the research and field crops director at Practical Farmers of Iowa, a farmer-led non-profit organization. In my role I help farmers design research trials to answer specific questions they have about their farming practices in the spirit of improving their environmental stewardship and economic well-being. I spend much of my time with friends and colleagues discussing issues in sustainable agriculture and preparing good food (much of which is of course obtained from local farmers and Wheatsfield!). I also enjoy fishing, hunting, gardening, and good science fiction. I live in the Old Town Neighborhood of Ames with my wife, Catherine DeLong.