Meet the 2021 Candidates
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Danny Spurr
I am serving my 6th year on the board of directors of Fiddleheads Food Co-op and my 3rd year as president. Over this time what was a young co-op has seen tremendous growth, in both sales and ownership, plenty of growing pains, triumphs, hardships, and above all tremendous resilience. When I started Board service, I didn’t truly know what a co-operative was all about. But in my time on the Board I have seen first hand at our co-op and in co-ops around our region and the country the power of co-operation: many folks from all walks of life working together and achieving what they could not do alone. And I have met so many inspiring, dedicated people and mentors. Our co-op has come so far, but the reason I feel called to continue Board service is how far we have yet to go. How can we more fully and fairly compensate our staff for the tremendous work that they do? What concrete steps can we take to become a truly inclusive, equitable, anti-racist institution that represents our community? -What policies or practices need to be examined and changed? How can we strengthen our association, our systems, and our linkage to member-owners and our community. These are some of the questions and possibilities that our Board is grappling with and the co-op is working toward. I hope to steward the transition to new leadership on the Board during what would be my third and final term and help the Board and co-op continue it's work in transforming Fiddleheads into a truer version of what it hopes to be. |
Danny Spurr
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Ali Rangwala
What do you bring to the Board (experience, skills and abilities) that make you an effective Fiddleheads Board Director”? I come from a village in India and have grown up with fresh produce sold in temporary makeshift stalls on the street or in vendor hand-drawn carts. The milk was delivered by a milkman in the morning and not bought in a store. Similarly, bread was made locally using locally grown wheat. Most of the items were sourced within a 100-mile radius. Then I came to USA for my studies. As I have grown older, I have realized the importance of grass-root level stores like Fiddleheads coop, which cater to a local community and provide a sustainable ecosystem in terms of food – energy, and employment. So in terms of experience and skills, I believe I have a life long understanding of what “local” means. In terms of abilities, I am a professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for 15 years in Engineering. I have worked on several projects, both large and small, and I can solve problems. What does the Co-op mean to you? To me, the Co-op is a space for people to grow, learn, and prosper - a space to meet and interact with other owners, learn what is going on in the community, and live healthily. What qualities do you think are important in a Board Director? A basic sense of understanding, ability to listen, and engage people. |
Ali Rangwala
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Amelia Lord
Before I was a board member I worked as an employee in the produce department and in outreach. Over the almost nine years I’ve been an owner I’ve seen the tremendous growth that fiddleheads has gone through. I deeply believe in the mission of the co-op and my four years working at Fiddleheads made me feel as though I was making a tangible difference in my community. I have gratefully served a first term as a board member and feel fortunate to have contributed in a small way to ensuring that Fiddleheads thrives and continues to serve New London and the region of Southeastern Connecticut. I’ve been very proud of our steps as a Board to do the necessary work of addressing diversity, equity and inclusion. I’m also deeply proud of and grateful to the staff for performing under extraordinary circumstances this past year. I’m committed to continuing to represent all co-op owners as a member of the Fiddleheads Board. |
Amelia Lord
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Ike Brody
My name is Ike Brody. I recently relocated to New London from New York. My mom and my wife grew up here, and I have spent every summer here since I was little. The silver lining with Covid was the opportunity to move out of NYC and relocate to New London. For my day job, I own a social media marketing agency, Socialike (www.socialikeinc.com), which works with many different verticals, including CPG brands in the natural products space and the City of New London. One of the core focuses at Socialike, and about 75% of our business is social media marketing for natural products. Socialike has worked with a few brands sold at the Co-Op, including DrTung’s and Thayers. Within the natural products category, we have also launched a training program for retail locations to improve their online presence and look for other ways to monetize their business. Our pilot program was with a retail location on Long Island called Mission Nutrition. A Socialike lead initiative was to grow their Instagram following and create a program where the brand’s Mission Nutrition carries would pay them to be featured on their Instagram account. The program was successful, and Mission Nutrition continues to get additional revenue from these brands. Socialike also helped Mission Nutrition optimize its website to enhance its e-commerce and create an ROI positive Facebook ad campaign. Our work with the City of New London brings me so much joy as I am excited about the prospects for this city’s future. Socialike and our partners are responsible for creating a strategic marketing vision for the city and executing the day-to-day social media communications focused on three areas; economic development, tourism, and community engagement. As a board member, I would love to bring my experience and expertise from Socialike to help continue the solid job Fiddleheads is already doing with their marketing and provide assistance and guidance to help the Co-Op grow. I am also excited to help Fiddleheads because of the mainstay the Co-Op provides downtown. New London’s downtown success is intertwined with the success of Fiddleheads. I am passionate about helping New London prosper, and I’m a firm believer that success starts with a healthy community. By serving on the Fiddleheads board, I will use my skill set to help the community prosper socially and economically. Ike Brody [email protected] | 631 804 3004 P.S. - Whoever picks the music at Fiddleheads deserves a promotion. |
Ike Brody
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