Meet Your Board of Directors Candidates
Voting for Board of Directors will begin on September 14, 2020 and end on October 14, 2020 at 5:30pm. The new Board of Directors will be announced at the Annual Meeting which begins at 6:00pm on October 14th, 2020.
Spiral Food Co-op is owned by it's member-owners. Members have a Board of Directors to oversee to the General Manager's operation of the co-op. Board members are a resource for members and ambassadors in the community.
If you are interested in becoming a Board Member please contact: board@spiralnaturalfoods.coop
Board Minutes
Board meetings are held monthly. Please email Matt Malecha (gm@spiral.coop) to be added to the schedule if you would like to attend a meeting.
Leigh Arnoldy
Leigh is a 16 year resident of Hastings. She holds a Bachelor in Music Education and Kodály Method Level 1 Training. She has working as a music teacher for 16 years, 12 of which have been in Hastings.
Leigh is also a student and occasional employee of the Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism. Leigh has done her herbal apprenticeship with Matthew Wood and is working on her American Herbalist Guild certification. Leigh brings experience working in a variety of groups and with the public, as well as a love for nature and a knowledge of holistic health. Leigh recognizes the importance of nature in our lives and is passionate about helping others find ways to embrace natural health and wellness.
Leigh’s interest in natural health led her to discover Spiral Co-op where she has been a member since 2016. Leigh is a frequent shopper, and is taking a deeper interest in seeing Spiral thrive and be a staple in the Hastings community and the southeast metro.
Pete Maccaroni
Acting Vice President
Pete has worked in foodservice for over twenty years, starting out as a classically trained chef, and working his way across the industry and the world as a butcher, baker, and pastry chef in Atlanta, New York City, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Quito, Ecuador, and Palermo, Sicily. After opening a few restaurants in Minneapolis, Pete started working as a chocolatier and eventually became the store’s owner. After selling the shop in 2015, he went to work as the Deli Manager for Seward Co-op’s Franklin Avenue store. It was at Seward Co-op that Pete became a true believer in the cooperative model. He is currently the owner of Level Up Games stores in Minneapolis, and Downtown Hastings, and the Geek Haven Coffee shop, which adjoins Level Up Games in Downtown Hastings. Pete is also in his second year of St. Mary’s University Master’s degree program for Management of Cooperatives and Credit Unions. Pete was appointed to the Board in April 2020 to fill a vacated position until the October 2020 elections.
Jenn Bierma
Positivity, hugs and a love of helping people thrive. That is me in a nutshell.
At the age of 19, I opened No Knots Professional Massage & Bodywork, Inc with the goal of helping as many people as I could. Almost 20 years later, I have decided to close my business and now I am looking for new ways to help our community and support people in their healing and growth. I see Spiral Natural Foods as a community of individuals that supports people and promotes healthful options. I would love to be a bigger part of the vision going forward.
I have spent the majority of my life volunteering in our community and surrounding communities doing everything from decorating nursing homes for Christmas to serving as District Governor for Lions Clubs International. I have a wide range of skills from running a multi-employee company, taking detailed minutes for meetings, listening and communicating with/to others, planning events, designing stores, building relationships, massage (of course), finding positive elements in all situations and so much more. I love life and I love people. I am a published author, former teacher, lover of art and an aspiring Master Herbalist (newly enrolled in a local program). I absolutely love to plan events and one of my favorite things is to interact with people at those events.
Without the ability to physically hug people right now (another one of my favorite things to do), I thought hugging people with loving words and affirmations would serve a similar purpose in our community. I recently installed a “Positivity Box” outside my home in Hastings to help lift people up during the stressful times we are in. I would love to bring this idea to the Co-op along along with many more creative ways to interact with customers and owners. I would be tickled to see more community events (when and however we are allowed) to increase visibility and connection. That being said, I would love the opportunity to continue supporting our community and its health through service with Spiral Natural Foods.
Dina Sagan
Hello, my name is Dina and I’m excited for this opportunity to possibly serve on the Board at Spiral Co-op. With the expansion coming up and many exciting opportunities and possibilities ahead of the business, I think this is an ideal time to join. Some of my useful attributes are attention to detail, creative problem solving, being resourceful, and I enjoy using artistic value throughout the workplace when needed. I think it will be a good learning experience to watch how this cooperative moves forward and how all the events unfold. If given the opportunity, I’m excited to propose any ideas of mine and be a part of the team.
