About Me.
This is awkward. Who put this page here?
It's not my style to write or talk about me. I prefer being behind the scenes learning about our businesses, telling their stories, connecting them to qualified partners, championing their cause and supporting collaboration.
Global Food Collaborative, LLC. is a business model closest to a marketing and operations cooperative. It is a private business (for now) intended to be lock step with its members in the private sector.
The seed was planted for Global Food Collaborative at age 13. When we get to know each other better and if you're interested... I'll share.
I was blessed, at an early age, to work in my family's business and after I semi-retired (I tried anyway), I started legally working at age 13 for a number of small and medium sized businesses in a variety of industries. I cut my teeth on all facets of business and can't imagine not having THAT education. It was with their help, that I was able to pay for college and the "textbook" business courses necessary to get a diploma and the opportunity to try my hand at more formal, professional work (desk jobs). Which was my favorite? Construction, tourism, aviation, retail, health, oil and gas (I am from Alaska). All of them together with various employers were an eye opener of "best practices" and some not so much.
No. Surprisingly food was not part of my work experience at that point. It wasn't a career, but part of our lifestyle. Food was harvested and grown, stored and prepared by us as part of our daily lives. The supply chain was my family and friends, hunting, fishing and growing food. I watched the evolution from self-reliance to dependence on a food supply chain that brought with it nutrient absent foods, declining health, declining sense of community and a forgotten knowledge and pride of self-sufficiency. It did not sit well with me.
GFC was launched in 2005 while I obtained my Masters In Global Supply Chain. Leaning heavily on my earlier work experiences, observations and communication with those with expertise from around the state, region, nation and world, I published a newsletter profiling communities and their food supply system and who was driving the demand - restaurants, health professionals, buying clubs, grocery stores, etc. Those newsletters served to educate and connect communities in a way that grew transparency, opportunity and pride.
I wanted to better understand and connect the food supply chain and gift a more functional, self-reliant system back to my community. I wanted the link between health and the bounty we had from nature to be better connected to the food system. It worked. It worked because our members and supporters were willing to step up and do so much outside of their comfort zone, but that is where change happens.
Full circle. The names of the people and businesses is too long to list for the success of GFC's early years. We created together an environment and platform, but it was them - always them that were open to and mastered the art of collaboration. The list continues to get longer as new members who are professionals at food, health, farming, fishing, growing and their respective supply chain partners engage with GFC.
It's about them, not me.
