CONCORD, N.H. – One of the founders of the ROC Association visited the offices of ROC USA® this week and was in for a little surprise.
Lois Parris dropped by simply to say hello, and to see the new office space ROC USA took over almost two years ago.
Parris, formerly of Lakes Region Cooperative in Belmont, N.H., was tickled to see her photo on the wall of the conference room in a section dedicated to current and former directors of ROC Association, a group made up of every resident-owned community working with a ROC USA® Network Certified Technical Assistance Provider. Parris helped establish the Association in 2013 in part as a way to ensure communities have a direct voice in the governance to ROC USA.
Parris’ photo hangs alongside former Association Directors Liz Wood (Duvall Riverside Village, Duvall, Wash.) and Colleen Preston (Cranberry Village, Carver, Mass.) and current Directors Lorie Cahill (Green Acres, Kalispell, Mont.), Natividad Seefeld (Park Plaza, Fridley, Minn.) and Kim Capen (Medvil Cooperative, Goffstown, N.H.).
The ROC Association elects Directors from each of three regions who also serve as Directors on the ROC USA Board. They attend all Board meetings and help with the long-term vision, planning and direction of ROC USA, as well as serve as bosses to ROC USA President Paul Bradley.
“We’ve always had ROC Member representation on the ROC USA Board, but with the Association in place as an LLC Member, we know our ultimate clients, the ROC Members, will jalways play a significant role in our Board,” Bradley said. “Lois was instrumental in establishing that role, and set the tone for the other Association Directors who have followed.”
This summer, two Director seats will be contested – those representing the New England and Midwest regions. Information will appear soon on myROCUSA.org for those interested in running. In addition, look for details on another round of ROC Grants – a series of $2,000 grants for communities working on improvements.