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 »

We have exciting news! For the first time in three years, Three Rivers Market can report a profit for fiscal year 2023-2024. Our General Manager, Fadi Aboush, and our amazing staff have worked hard to achieve this, while maintaining our commitment to paying every employee a living wage and offering monthly discounts to our members. This also couldn’t have happened without you – the members and customers who continue to patronize our store, and who contribute to our cooperative not just with your money, but your time and passion as well. Thank you for your commitment, and we hope you feel proud of your co-op.

After consulting with the General Manager and reviewing our financial condition, the Board has decided to reinvest this profit into our store instead of allocating an end-of-year patronage dividend. In the course of implementing a strengthened … Read More »

October is National Co-op Month, and this year’s theme is “The Future is Cooperative”.  The Three Rivers Board is holding our annual retreat on October 13th, and this will be the perfect opportunity to reflect on where we want our cooperative to go over the next few years, and what role we want our market to play in the Knoxville community.  The first official Co-op Month celebration was declared in Minnesota in 1948, and since 1964, the US Department of Agriculture has put out a proclamation recognizing It nationally.

To help think through the important questions of our role in the local food ecosystem, the Board was proud to welcome Kimberly Pettigrew, the Director of Food Systems for the United Way of Greater Knoxville, to present at our September meeting.  Kimberly was an engaging and emotional speaker, … Read More »

Like freshly stocked Three Rivers Market shelves, this month’s Board News contains a smorgasbord of new stuff for you to enjoy! You can read about the first impression TRM made on a self-proclaimed grocery nerd, hear from a past Board member who had something encouraging to say about participating in democracy at your co-op, learn what Board committees have been working on, and finally, read a recent study and engagement article that was part of our monthly Board work.

DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP

Finding active, engaged members to serve on the Three Rivers Board of Directors is hard work, but it is also good work. In 2023, a beloved Board member, Helen de Haven, shared what makes this work so worthwhile.

Helen passed away a few months after writing the article below, and while she is dearly missed by … Read More »