Meet Your New Board Members

Brian Grinston – Brian moved to Fairbanks after vacationing here in August 2007. It was love at first sight… the mountains, the peacefulness, and the lack of rush hour traffic. After flying back to the Chicago/Milwaukee suburbs, he immediately gave his two-week notice and donated nearly all of his possessions to charity. On 09/07/07 he loaded up the car and headed north, to the Alaska Highway. Brian says that when he sees something that he truly wants, he goes after it. His motto is  “Life is short. Get off your butt and live it, before it’s gone.”

Brian is a Marine who served during the first Gulf War. He ran a supply warehouse and maintained accounting records for the military. Some of his other jobs have been Assistant Manager for Walgreens, Accounts Receivable Supervisor for Solo Cup Company, Billing Supervisor for Stericycle, and Payroll Manager for Nenana Lumber Company. Currently, Brian is an Aviation Records Auditor for Everts Air.

Brian’s desire to help Co-op Market stems from his support of Alaskan-owned companies, his personal mission to help improve the quality of life for his fellow Alaskans, and his strong commitment to volunteering. Many folks know Brian through his volunteer efforts at the Electronics Recycling Center, Fairbanks Rescue Mission, Veterans Stand Down… and also the many weekends that he’s already volunteered for demolition work parties at our store site. He hopes that his business knowledge and organizational skills will help make Co-op Market a huge success for Fairbanks.

Brian Grinston – Board Member

Teresa Jacobson, CMT, CHHC – As a lifelong Fairbanksan and small-business owner, Teresa Jacobson is deeply invested in the local community. She began working as a Certified Massage Therapist in 2000, and since has worked with thousands of clients in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. As her aspiration to better serve the wellbeing of her clients, family, and friends continued to increase, Teresa pursued studies with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (State University of New York Purchase College) and she now also works as a Certified Holistic Health Coach. Her passionate belief in the necessity of real, whole foods and the power of food as medicine, has naturally led to an interest in the successful development and launching of Co-op Market.

Concerned about the food desert in South Fairbanks, she feels strongly that the trend of urban shift is leaving the city hollow. The location of Co-op Market will help enliven the downtown area and afford quality food options to residents. By investing in the urban areas and locating such valuable assets as Co-op Market in the downtown areas, the city begins to feed itself, both literally and in terms of a more filial reaching-out to one another.

Teresa believes that Fairbanks must eventually become self-sufficient, and that the success of Co-op Market will make great strides in that direction.

Teresa enjoys gardening, coffeeing with friends, watching NOVA, and making awesome stuff. She lives in North Fairbanks with family.

Teresa Jacobson – Board Member