Each spring the Board of Directors takes time away from the normal hustle and bustle of Board service to retreat and connect in an intentional way outside of the co-op. This year we visited the Oakwood-Lincoln Park Clubhouse on the 2nd of March for a day of collaboration, reflection, and just a little bit of fun. Below are some reflections from a few of the Directors who attended.

Adam Deen: Entering my third year on the Board I have grown accustomed to the demands of the role. It takes time to get into the swing of not only participating, but contributing meaningfully to board proceedings and decisions. The spring retreat (there will be a subsequent session held in the fall with different priorities) is an opportunity to not only review how and where we are spending our time, but to take … Read More »

Operating the only grocery cooperative in the state of Tennessee has many challenges. You may have noticed some of your favorite products out of stock on the shelves or wondered if your annual member owner interest payment is worth it. Or you may be like some others who feel that shopping at the co-op is expensive when compared to some of the larger national chain grocers.

Last year we hosted Jon Steinman, who is the author of Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants (New Society Publishers). Jon held a series of cooperative dialogue workshops in the Three Rivers Market dining room, and recently published an article where he addressed the often-times false perception that a grocery co-op is more expensive:

“Claims that food co-ops are more expensive than other grocers often … Read More »

This month we would like to share an update on our progress establishing committees for this year and insights from our new Directors after attending a Cooperative Board Leadership 101 training.

Committee Update

At our January meeting, the Board voted to establish the following committees for this year:
• Member Linkage Committee
• Board Perpetuation Committee
• Staff Involvement in Governance Committee

Draft charters for these committees are being prepared and will be reviewed for our February meeting. For now, the member participation sections will remain open as we continue to reach out to those who have expressed interest in serving. If you’ve already filled out the interest form—thank you! We’ll be in touch after our February meeting with more information.

The Board is also continuing discussions about convening additional committees, including the Audit and Ethics Committees. These topics will be addressed at our January … Read More »

The Three Rivers Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome three new members, the winners of our 2024 Board Election.  Mary French, Teri O’Meara, and Debbie Sharp were elected to serve three-year terms, and were welcomed into the Board at our December 12th meeting.  578 members voted in the election, a turnout rate of 14.8%.  They have already started the Board orientation process, and will be undergoing our standard cooperative governance trainings in the upcoming months.  The returning members look forward to working with Mary, Teri, and Debbie, and we’re all excited for a productive 2025 for our market and cooperative.

The Board also expresses sincere gratitude for the service of our three outgoing members: Jackie Kittrell, Drew Rutherford, and Kathryn Tilson.  Jackie joined the Board to fill a vacant seat in 2024, and her skilled facilitation and communication advice helped … Read More »

Your friendly neighborhood co-op is not immune to the end-of-the-year hustle and bustle. There is no shortage of activity at Three Rivers Market – from a contested Board of Directors election to our Annual Meeting for members, to planning for next year’s board committees, you have many opportunities to engage with and support your co-op. 

Please read on below to learn more about how to vote in our election, how to register for the Annual Meeting, and keep an eye out for an upcoming committee interest form! 

CAST YOUR BALLOT IN TRM BOARD ELECTION

When one becomes a member of Three Rivers Market co-op, they accept certain responsibilities. No, I don’t mean putting your shopping cart back when you’re done – although, we all thank you for doing so. I mean the responsibilities of ownership.

Our co-op is a democratically controlled organization, which means … Read More »