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Conference 2009 Thursday, October 8 Workshops Keynote Event Paul Stamets, Author, Mycologist, Founder of Fungi Perfecti As we are now well engaged in the 6th Major Extinction (“6 X”) on planet Earth, our biosphere is quickly changing, eroding the life support systems that have allowed humans to ascend. Unless we put into action policies and technologies that can cause a course correction in the very near future, species diversity will continue to plummet, with humans not only being the primary cause, but one of the victims. What can we do? Fungi, particularly mushrooms, offer some powerful, practical solutions, which can be put into practice now. Paul will present six inventions, which help steer ecosystems and humanity to a healthier future. Workshops: Sessions I INSPIRING STAFF IN TOUGH TIMES • Allen Seidner, Partner, Good Earth Natural Foods, Consultant, Thought For Food Consulting Times are tough, sales have fl attened and every worker whose paycheck hasn’t suffered knows someone whose has. Learn how to make the most of these challenging times, and to advance an environment for happy and successful staff performance. We’ll explore ways to create a positive framework, and to otherwise inspire and challenge employees to raise their commitment to your operation's success. We’ll also examine unique opportunities for refi ning your staff and how to handle reduced labor budgets. MAXIMIZING CASH DURING AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN • Mel Braverman, Consultant, CDS Consulting This presentation is on the importance of cash management, the importance of maximizing cash in the current economic environment, sources and uses of cash, tools for managing cash, current cash scenarios for many stores, and forecasting your cash needs. We will discuss tactics the attendees are using in managing their cash. This session is for retailers and those seeking a greater understanding of cash management practices and tools. ORGANIC AND BEYOND: BENCHMARKING SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES • Annie Hoy, Outreach Manager, Ashland Food Co-op As concern grows about climate change and other troubling global issues consumers are increasingly looking to use their buying power to support business that demonstrate a commitment to ecologically sound and socially just practices. In response many businesses are looking for new ways to demonstrate their sustainability values and performance. Come learn about a coalition of business that is working to develop common sustainability measurement and reporting tools in the organic trade. Presenters will share their experience working to “lighten their footprint” on the planet, benefi t their community, develop environmental and social performance metrics for their businesses. ANATOMY OF A PERFORMANCE PROBLEM • Jocelyn Carver, HR Manager, Kootenay Country Store Co-op We’ll look at how to intervene in different types of performance problems, such as punctuality, customer service and productivity. This intervention will include a coaching session for a fi rst discussion of a performance problem, and then two disciplinary sessions for delivering written warnings for situations where the performance problem has escalated in severity. We’ll use role-plays to demonstrate these sessions, but don’t worry--no one will have to act in a role-play against her or his will! This session is for anyone with supervisory responsibility THERAPEUTIC USES OF ESSENTIAL OILS • Tim Blakley, Aromatherapist/Herbalist, Frontier Natural Products Co-op/Aura Cacia In this session, we'll focus on using essential oils for a variety of health conditions and discuss the various ways oils can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. We'll discuss using oils for skin issues, oral problems, infections, muscular and skeletal problems and of course for stress. We'll discuss formulating and blending and everyone will leave the class having made a formula or two to take with them. We'll cover up to date research on uses as well as briefl y covering quality and safety issues. BROKERS AND YOU: COMPELLING QUESTIONS ANSWERED • Marena Anspach, Oregon Account Manager This session will speak to the somewhat mysteriousness of the broker, retailer, and manufacturer relationship and makes a return engagement at Provender. Join this panel of experts and discuss what brokers really do, how a broker can help you with your business and how best to utilize a broker. Specifi cally for retailers, we will discuss what you can do to best work with a broker. Specifi cally for manufacturers we will address when is the best time to hire a broker and what they will do for your business. This is a great opportunity for brokers to meet retailers and manufacturers and to fi nd out what they really want from their relationship with you. Workshops: Session II Thursday 2:15 PM to 4:15 PM SERVICE BASICS: FIRST ALTERNATIVE’S CUSTOMER SERVICE • Evelyn Hall, Store Manager, First Alternative North Store First Alternative provides service training to all employees. Now you have the chance to attend the training that gives our employees the tools to provide excellent service everyday. The training, the steps to giving great service and the steps to handling customer complaints can be adapted to fi t any type of business. Everyone that attends will receive a First Alternative passport and passport sticker for completing the training. This session is for anyone who provides service. MANAGING INVENTORY FOR SALES AND CASH EFFECTIVENESS • Mel Braverman, Consultant, CDS Consulting Learn what part inventory plays in your operation, what impacts the amount of inventory you carry, what are inventory turns and what value this measure has in managing inventory, tools/strategies to assist you in managing your inventory effectively, and hear what tactics the attendees are using to manage their inventory. This workshop will also enable non-retailers to understand the forces that impact inventory management at the retail level. CRADLE TO CRADLE SM MANUFACTURING • Shawn Donnille, Co-owner, Mountain Rose Herbs We need to make a fundamental conceptual shift away from the fl awed system design “take-make-waste” manufacturing model of the last century. “Cradle to Cradle SM” principles help us move toward sustainable business models where products and services are designed based on patterns found in nature, eliminating the concept of waste entirely and creating goods that are healthy and sustaining. How can we learn to optimize materials to be “food” either for nature's ecosystems or for humans' industrial systems—perpetually circulating in closed systems? Come learn about businesses who are using environmentally safe and healthy materials, designing for material reutilization (such as recycling or composting), using renewable energy and energy effi ciency, effi cient use of water, and instituting strategies for social responsibility. FOOD INTEGRITY, SEED INTEGRITY, AND GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS • Matthew Dillon, Director of Advocacy, Organic Seed Alliance Can organic farmers, food, and the national label maintain their integrity and viability while co-existing with increasing risks from genetically engineered crops? Does co-existence really mean compulsory contamination? Will allowable thresholds weaken the confi dence and growth in organic food? The current national legal and regulatory framework does not provide adequate protection to insure that products are 100% GMO free. Can we change it? What are the costs of not changing it? These three experts will present on the work of their organizations, including updates on litigation, policy and grassroots initiatives, the increasing incidence of organic fi elds being planted with seed that contains GE traits, and ways the organic community can work together to protect organic seed and food integrity. • Lysbeth Borie, Group Facilitator, Alpha Institute Effective workplace meetings can be a smooth, productive and empowering way of coordinating the work fl ow so everyone is on the same page, sending everyone back to work with renewed focus and commitment, stronger relationships with co-workers, and a better picture of what others are doing. Meetings can help create the kind of workplace where you enjoy coming to work and feel good about what you accomplish. Ineffective meetings can be a frustrating, boring headache. What makes the difference? Bring your questions and problems and we will answer them together. Bring your successes and share them with others! In this interactive workshop we will explore principles, tips and techniques to help you and your group get the most out of your meeting time and build a stronger organization in the process. GROWING FARMS, GROWING COMMUNITY • Michelle Long, Executive Director, Sustainable Connections Join this presentation and interactive discussion to learn how the Whatcom County community has built a thriving local food system and a community that wants to eat local! Sustainable Connections’ food and farming program has trained dozens of new farmers, inspired 3 in 5 community households to think (and eat) local fi rst, and led to more than 400 new food and farming contracts for local producers last year alone. The new federal agricultural census numbers are out and show that from 2002 to 2007 the number of farmers marketing directly in Whatcom County increased 44% (compared to the Washington state average of 20%) and direct sales increased 125% (compared to the Washington state average. of 25%). Come join the discussion about engaging the community in the local food system and how to grow the movement in your community. Special guest presenters from the local food and farming community will share what’s working in Whatcom! Conference main page
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