Top Management Roles

In order to:

• look more like a conventional business,

• streamline decision-making,

• improve accountability, and

• to better manage conflict,

  we propose the implementation of top management roles.

On Sunday March 31st, 2024, Pecan Milk Cooperative will hold the first elections for:

• Chief Executive Official

• Chief Finance Official

• Chief Operations Official

• Executive Chef

At that time, we will also vote again on the roles themselves, their definitions and scope.

On Sunday April 30th, 2023, there will be elections for interim roles that can serve in these roles until elections in 2024. 

Starting on Sunday March 31st, 2024, there will be elections for these roles every five years. Each election will be preceded by time for discussion.

Permanent manager-owners can vote for Chief Executive Official and Chief Finance Official.

All worker-owners, including temporary member-owners, can vote for Chief Operations Official and Executive Chef. Governance Council retains control of governance decisions. Permanent manager-owners are empowered to overturn Governance Council governance decisions.

The Chief Executive Official is empowered to enforce the Operating Agreement. They can make decisions to ensure that the Operating Agreement is not being violated. 

The Chief Finance Official is responsible for the Finance Team. Their role is to promote the financial health of the business. They manage: bookkeeping, accounting, financial reports, taxes, equity investments, compensation, budgeting, sales projecting and forecasting, fundraising, grants, donations, loans and sales.

The Chief Operations Official is responsible for both the Marketing Team and Education Team. 

The COO is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations and logistics of the cooperative as a whole.

This role manages customer service, texts and email, inbound marketing (content creation), blogging, branding, advertisements, events, market analysis, recipe sharing, public relations, intellectual property, demonstrations, digital marketing, earned media, social media, guerrilla marketing, organizations, certifications, flyers, posters, guerilla marketing, merchandise, and any marketing and branding activities, as part of the Marketing Department.

As part of the Education, Training and Information Committee, the COO manages professional development, check-ins, evaluations, internal and external education, the advisory board, notes, minutes, website, application, technologies, softwares, and graphic design. This committee and role is also responsible for interpreting and following founding and governance documents, but the Chief Operations Official is not a final decision-maker in the interpretation of them.

The Executive Chef is responsible for the Kitchen Team – production and distribution.

While production is within the purview of governance, all worker-owners can vote for this role. Governance is long-term decision-making and includes but is not limited to founding documents, finance and long-term strategy. Production is governance especially because all production occurs in Department of Agriculture -approved commercial kitchens.

The Executive Chef manages products, production, suppliers, inventory, labels, delivery, distribution, invoicing, research and development, equipment and facilities.