Foundation Board of Governors

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Foundation Board of Governors

MIRA FOUNDATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Auday Arabo
Chairman

John Denha
Secretary

James V. Bellanca, Jr.
Trustee

Vanessa Denha
Trustee

Paul Elhindi
Trustee

Robert Feldman
Trustee

Tiffany Otis-Albert
Trustee

Mike Quinn
Trustee

Angela Thomas
Trustee

Ed Weglarz
Trustee

Nabby Yono
Trustee

There is a need for everyone in a specific industry to work together for a common goal to implement change in the common scheme. It’s much easier to do this in a group, as opposed to sitting on the sidelines and allowing one peorson to take the lead while you reap the benefits. It’s very important for you to be a part of the group, be a team player, and be a member of that organization – especially in this industry. Membership in the association provides networking opportunities.

Terry Burns
Michigan Auto Dealers Association, Executive Director
MIRA has been there to help us in many ways, They were instrumental in leveling the playing field as a number of gas stations started opening up nearby. Now you have the dollar stores carrying eggs and milk, so it’s been a difficult time, but MIRA has been there to help us through all of it. They also provide legal representation for stores that can’t afford it, and they keep us informed on what’s going on in the industry and what to look for in the future.

Namir Garmo
Shoppers Valley Market, Wyandotte MI
Rutowski was happy that Michigan’s bottle bill is on MIRA’s 2013 focus list. “We’ve recycled bottles for so long, it’s worked into our system, but it’s a nightmare I’d rather not deal with,” “I’d love to see it replaced with a recycling program outside the stores.

Ed Rutowski
Walker Street Pharmacy
MIRA is a good organization, very community focused,” “The biggest benefit is the government relations interface. They lobby for all of us and work for our rights on issues like federal and state taxes,” “MIRA was behind the initiative to spread food stamps out across the month, which has been very helpful, and they are working hard on the bottle recycling issue, which is painful and expensive for retailers to maintain. We couldn’t do it alone.

Gary Gerlach
Orchard Markets
My father said, ‘You have no right to complain unless you are involved in making it better.’ It’s been important to me to continue to make things better for people coming behind us.”

“Continued growth will make our membership programs stronger. Without membership in organizations like MIRA, small business does not have a voice. There is strength in numbers, and when we are strong we can successfully work for the common good.

Chris Zebari
Lipari Foods, Warren MI
I want to see MIRA grow its membership so that we have more clout in lobbying for favorable legislation. We need to promote membership so that the MIRA can be a strong voice in speaking for independent retailers.

Clifton Pattah
Food Pride Super Market, Detroit MI