Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (ET)
The UEDA’s Place Affinity Network will hear from Sean Park, Director of Western Illinois University’s Value-Added Sustainable Development Center (VASDC). An extension of the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs, VASDC helps farmers, non-farm rural businesses, and community leaders excel by providing technical assistance and research.
Sean will talk about the Illinois Grocery Initiative, a unique, state-wide program designed to provide grants and technical assistance to communities in food deserts. Utilizing a model involving “Municipally Owned/Privately-Operated Grocery Stores,” the program demonstrates success for increased success and longevity of community organized food access programs.
The Illinois Grocery Initiative developed from the Rural Fresh Markets Program, the 2021 Awards of Excellence winner in the Place Category.
Meet the Presenter
Sean Park provides technical assistance and training on business plan development and business start-up to cooperatives and other rural businesses in all sectors, and administers IIRA’s overall outreach in the co-op sector. Sean has worked with IIRA since 2010, and his experience also includes ten years as owner-operator of an independent rural grocery store, seven years in operations management for a national corporation, and additional roles as a community college business instructor and a small town economic development director. Park is a Certified Business Advisor and has completed CooperationWorks! Cooperative Business Development Training Program. He received a MA in Economics from Western Illinois University and a BA in Economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.