Carol Beam, Board President 

Carol’s relationship with Good Earth Market began more than a decade ago, when she was looking for one ingredient that she had been unable to find anywhere else. She found what she needed—in more ways than one..

“It was the day my relationship with food and food products changed forever,” she said. “Organic tomatoes with taste, local eggs with rich colored yolks, grass-fed beef, the best mustard greens I’ve ever had—I think you get the picture.””

Carol is proud to be a part of the team that has made GEM the thriving co-op it is today. And she calls her service on its board one of her favorite things..

“It is an honor to be in a leadership role with the current board,” she said. “Together, we have done great things for our co-op and we have plans to keep doing them for a long time to come.”

Kevin Dowling, Board Member

Kevin had always loved Good Earth Market, but it was his grandson, Kalven, that inspired him to become a co-op board member.

“Kaiven needed to learn tasty, health food, where to buy it, and how to cook it,” Kevin said, “especially in the times dominated by fast food advertisements and worrisome concerns about higher rates of obesity and diabetes.”

Now, he and his grandson head to the deli for lunch on Saturdays, dining on potato salad, Asian noodles, broccoli, pizza and, of course, some natural sweet treats from the bulk bins.

Kevin has been active in the community, including board memberships of Community Seven and Washington School PTA. That has given him extensive experience in grant writing, fundraising and communications—skills that he enjoys using the increase membership, attract more consumers, and continue to enlarge the Good Earth Market’s presence in the community.

Greg Jahn, Board Member

Greg’s co-op experience and background includes being a part of Bozeman’s buying club in the late 1970’s that grew into their very first storefront. He was part of the crew that got the doors open for that co-op and was an active, working member there.

A Billings native, Greg has been a member-advocate of the Good Earth Market from its beginning. He supported his wife, Nancy Halter, during her term as a GEM board member. When he heard that GEM was considering an expansion move, he volunteered to be part of what he knew would be a very hard and pivotal challenge, and coordinated the volunteer builders and chaired the Design Committee for the expansion..

“The Good Earth Market is one of the best things to ever happen in Billings,” he said, “and is part of a larger movement of ‘cultural creatives’ consciously co-creating a positive future."

Theresa Keaveny, Board Member  

Growing up on a farm in southwestern Minnesota helped Theresa gain an appreciation for fresh, wholesome foods, and became involved in her first cooperative while in college. Today, she is a community organizer, serving as Executive Director for Montana Conservation Voters, as well as devoting her time and efforts as a GEM Board Member.

“Being on the GEM Board is a natural fit, because it helps me stay on track, putting my beliefs into practice by putting my food dollar at a cooperatively-owned store that puts a premium on local producers and organic, whole foods, grown as if the earth matters,” she said.

Her goal for Good Earth Market is to help it become a key to changing our food system so that organically grown, locally produced, safe, nutritious food and home items can be the mainstay for all people.

Thom J. Smithlin, Jr., Board Member

A graduate of the University of Montana with a BA in English literature, Thomas joined the Good Earth Market team in the summer of 2006 as a grocery buyer as he worked to earn his teaching licensure at MSU-B. He'd had previous grocery experience, and wanted to work at the same store in which his then-girlfriend (now wife) Cheri shopped..

ow a substitute with Billings School District #2, Thomas anxiously awaits a full time teaching position. But his focus on and commitment to Good Earth Market remains unchanged..

"It is the same spirit of service that draws me to our community's classrooms that attracts me to continued involvement with GEM," he said. "And my goal as a board member is to ensure that this co-operative continues to advocate responsible growing practices and educate the community in the realm of resource stewardship."