Art Sherwood

Art Sherwood has been active in leadership development and training for over 15 years. He has worked with a variety of for- and not-for-profit boards in the areas of strategy, planning, board leadership development and teams. In addition to being an Associate Professor of Management at Indiana State University, Art was instrumental in the founding of the Local Growers Guild, a marketing co-op for local producers in South Central Indiana. Art is an active board member with the Bloomingfoods cooperative and joined the CDS Consulting Co-op team in 2009.

“I am motivated by a belief and passion to work together with others to make the world better by building on good things, like food co-ops,” Art said. He applies his business strategy experience from other sectors into helping boards of mission-driven organizations be more effective. “I think the next evolution for food co-op boards is to foster the team relationship the board has with the general manager, and to expand the role of strategic process in taking things to the next level,” he said.

Art’s services include:

• Board leadership/teaming training and support
• Retreat planning and facilitation
• Ongoing coaching/consulting support to boards
• Governance workshops and trainings
• Board resource development
• Strategic visioning and planning

“As the CBLD consultant to Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Art has been tremendous for our Board. Art has greatly enhanced our development giving us superb guidance in various aspects of Policy Governance and helping us to solidify our action with the principles of Cooperative Strategic Leadership. We have had an excellent experience gaining from his impartations, and fun too!”

—Sam Eakin, Board President, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Roanoke, VA

“CBLD and Art came along at a crucial time in our history. Thanks to Art’s help, his dedication to Coops, his smarts, and his compassion we have been able to emerge not just intact, but thriving! Thanks, Art and CBLD!”

—Steve Peterson, Board President, Oneota Community Food Cooperative, Decorah, Iowa

“Art has brought important experience, expertise and guidance to our board as we work to provide true long term cooperative strategic leadership for Good Foods Co-op. He is helping us develop our vision of strategic leadership and the discipline and tools with which to do the job.”

—Richard Stump, Board of Directors President, Good Foods Co-op, Lexington, KY