BOARD OF ADVISORS
ELIZABETH (Apple) AHEARN, Leverett, Massachusetts. Apple has a thirty year history in the cooperative world and has managed, expanded and launched numerous businesses. She is a co-founder of both the Cooperative Grocers Association of the Northeast (CGANE), and its equivalent in the Southwest. Apple was the director of The Cooperative Development Institute (CDI) in Greenfield, MA and is currently co-director of Field to Table, a non -profit organization specializing in providing technical assistance and support to growers, producers and retailers in the Northeast.VALERIE DAHL, Guilford, Vermont. Valerie is director of finance of Drew’s All Natural Food. She is the former CFO of Northeast Cooperatives. She advises local non-profit arts organizations, and is active in Rotary. Her professional background includes work in software development and higher education. Valerie holds a BA in history and anthropology from the University of California, a MA in education from Boston University and an Executive MBA from the University of Tennessee.
SUSAN ELLIS, Spruce Head, Maine. Susy served on the CFNE board from 1982 to 1996 and served for many years as the Board President. She provides accounting and management services to small businesses across Maine. Management services include personnel, business planning and financial analysis. She also provides Coast Guard documentation for commercial fishermen and yachtsmen throughout New England. Susy was formerly President of the Federation of Co-ops and was co-author of "A Comparative Financial Analysis of Maine Co-op Stores".
LINDA GALLAGHER, Halifax, Canada. Linda is a Community Development consultant working in the areas of finance and development. Linda has over 25 years of experience in the fields of development banking and commercial banking in both Canada and the US. Linda holds a BA in Russian and History from McGill University and a MBA from Southern New Hampshire University (“SNHU”). She was on the adjunct faculty at SNHU in the School of Community Economic Development Linda is particularly interested in multi-culturalism, and has done two international development assignments with NGO’s. Linda serves on the Loan Committee.
JANE LIVINGSTON, Veazie, Maine. Since 1993, Jane has been active as a publicist, editor, marketing consultant and study tour guide for cooperative enterprise. She has particularly focused on crossing co-op sector boundaries to explore common interests, build solidarity for co-op values, and forge cooperative business relationships. As communications consultant to the Cooperative Development Institute, she created several print and electronic publications including Cooperative Life Leader, the nation's first regional co-op e-letter. She also was on the CDI team that created the first Marketing Our Cooperative Advantage (MOCA) program with Canadian colleague Tom Webb. Currently she is working with several co-op clients and serves as Editor of NetWorks, the newsletter of CooperationWorks!, an organization of 21 co-op development centers serving people in 45 states.
MARC REICH, West Hartford, Connecticut. Marc is President of Ironwood Capital Ltd., an investment-banking firm serving middle market and larger firms throughout the US. He is a principal in IronBridge Mezzanine Fund, L.P; an investment fund that invests principally in businesses owned by women, people of color located in low and moderate income communities. Prior to founding Ironwood in 1990 he headed Aetna’s investment banking unit and was an institutional private placement lender. He was a bank examiner with the FDIC as well as a long time food co-op member. He holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.
DON SCHRAMM, Burlington, Vermont. Don is co-owner of a worker owned software development firm. He was an organizer and president of a retail food co-op, instructor at various universities and is currently the project leader of a 32 unit cohousing project.
JOHN TALVACCHIA, Boston, Massachusetts. John is a partner in the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC. John specializes in corporate law and finance. He represents many start-up and emerging companies, as well as non-profit organizations and banking institutions. He was formerly Treasurer of the Boston Food Co-op and a co-author of the Food Co-op Handbook. John has a BA from the College of the Holy Cross and a law degree from Boston University. He was a Trustee for over six years and has been an Advisor since 11/85.
STAN WARNER, Amherst, Massachusetts. Stan is professor of economics at Hampshire College. He has a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University and has previously taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His teaching includes courses in workplace democracy, the economics of globalization, and making social change. He is past coordinator of the Five College Project on Work and Democracy and consults in the area of community economic
development. He is an avid fisherman.
and consults in the area of community economic development. He is an avid fisherman.
