Advisory Board

Gary Benjamin
A graduate of Wayne State Law School who has spent decades working as an attorney and leader of non-profit organizations. His area of expertise is human resources, benefits, and corporate structure.

Dar Caldwell
Partner at Shaker | Launchhouse, a lean membership-based incubator, coffeehouse, and community space with a mission to recruit and grow the Midwest’s most promising technology companies.

Alan Glazen
Noted Ad Club Hall of Famer and film production master who now has a second career owning coffee shops and taverns.

Melody Hart
25 years experience in Finance and Treasury in Fortune 500 companies at Director level and above and has her MBA in accounting and finance and holds a CPA and a CTP designation.

Brad Masi
Founder of the New Agrarian Center and a graduate of Oberlin College and has a master’s degree in urban studies from Cleveland State University. He works extensively on supporting local-food systems through writing, speaking, teaching and organizing,

Chuck Miller
Partner, Doty & Miller Architects, dedicated to designing sustainable solutions, preserving historical properties and building community places.

Steve Presser
Owner of Big Fun, one of the nation’s most innovative and award-winning toy stores in the country.

Karen Small
Chef/Owner, The Flying Fig. The Fig has long been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement with the goal of supporting small farms and local food artisans while creating critically acclaimed menus that evolve frequently to reflect seasonal availability.