Paul Davis

For the last 25 years, Paul Davis has been President or CEO for companies that include Starbucks, Barilla, Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods and Popchips. For the past 12 years, Paul has served on seven different boards — five as an independent board member, and two as a CEO. Currently, he serves on the board of Craft Brew Alliance, a beer brewing company based in Portland, Oregon that includes Seattle’s own Redhook Brewery.

Paul has years of experience helping leadership teams navigate constantly changing competitive headwinds, working side by side with them to identify what matters most, and removing obstacles so they can achieve their goals.
 

Statement

I’m deeply honored to be considered as a Board Trustee for PCC. My entire career has been linked with the grocery industry, starting nearly 50 years ago as a bagger at our family grocery store. My professional career began in sales, then progressed to leadership roles with Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, Barilla, Kettle Foods, Coinstar and Popchips. For the last 25 years I’ve held the position of either President or CEO.

For the past 12 years, I have served on seven different boards — five as an independent board member, and two as the CEO board member. Experience has shown me what an effective board can do for an organization, and how an ineffective board hinders one.

I view the role of the board as helping the management team identify what matters most, and then aligning around that mission so that everyone understands their role in achieving lofty goals. I like to roll up my sleeves and support the management team without doing their job for them. I’m an advocate for leaders who listen, and seek to understand and empower people — all the while helping the team remove obstacles for growth.

The Pacific Northwest has been my home for more than 20 years. I view a role on PCC’s board as a gem of an opportunity. The PCC brand is strong and vibrant, yet still a business that has tremendous upside.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Megan Karch

Megan Karch currently serves as President and CEO of IslandWood, where she has served for the past two years. From 2000 to 2018, Megan served as the CEO of FareStart, and from 1990 to 2000 she served as VP of Workforce Development programs for Humanim in Maryland. She currently serves on the Downtown Seattle Association’s executive board, and has previously served on the boards of NPower, Alliance for Nonprofits, Metropolitan Improvement District, and the Governor’s Advisory Board on Homelessness.

Megan’s leadership skills come from more than 30 years of experience as an executive and member of multiple boards. Her social enterprise experience is centered around running a business with a focus on community impact.
 

Statement

Over the past 20 years, I have had the great pleasure to work for two innovative Seattle nonprofits. The first, FareStart, uses food to not only end homelessness but create community, a sense of belonging and new beginnings. My current organization, IslandWood, uses nature and the power of discovery to inspire our next generation of environmental stewards. These two experiences together have prepared me to sit on the PCC Board.

PCC’s commitment to quality, community, preserving farmland and partnering with Northwest producers aligns with my professional journey to date. I started shopping at PCC 20 years ago while living in Phinney Ridge — I chose PCC as my “go-to” store due to the co-op’s commitment to sustainability, quality of organic products and impact on our communities. Those three reasons remain today.

I would be proud to serve on the PCC Board of Trustees.

Ben Klasky

Ben Klasky has been a PCC Trustee since 2017, and currently serves as Chairperson of the board’s Governance and Membership Committee. Ben has an MBA and has served as the CEO or Executive Director of four companies, including one membership organization with tens of thousands of members that focuses on sustainability and corporate responsibility. He has served on more than 10 boards and has held officer roles, including Treasurer and Board Chair. Currently, Ben is the Founder and Principal of Seismic Philanthropy, which advises families and foundations on high-impact philanthropy, and he sits on the Finance Committee of a local land trust.

Ben is known for his hybrid thinking — his ability to bring business and nonprofit management together. He has held leadership roles at many local nonprofit organizations, including KUOW, IslandWood, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Raikes Foundation.
 

Statement

I am hoping to continue serving on the PCC Board because I enjoy supporting the work of this remarkable, mission-minded organization. I am currently a PCC Board member, serving as the Chair of our Governance and Membership Committee. Outside of PCC, I am the Founder and Principal of Seismic Philanthropy — a company that advises families and foundations on high-impact philanthropy.

I initially became a trustee three years ago because I was impressed with PCC’s culture. Now having listened to many members and staff, I’m more pleased than ever about how PCC works to maintain the best aspects of our culture as we continue to grow and serve more people in our region.

I am proud to be associated with PCC because of our commitment to our triple bottom line through the decades, whether through our early focus on healthy and natural foods, our advocacy for organics standards nationally and in the state of Washington, our role founding the PCC Farmland Trust, or our leadership with compostable packaging in our deli.

I believe in our PCC team, and the power our members have with our shopping choices to change the world around us. Through our collective purchasing power, we are creating positive social and environmental change in the world.