We're guessing most of you know by now that Ben & Jerry's is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, but we're betting you've never met our independent Board of Directors...

Meet The BOD!
It's not a governing body in the conventional sense, but a (very!) independent B.O.D. that's empowered to protect and defend Ben & Jerry's brand equity and integrity. AND our product quality!  They also make sure our entry level folks come into the company making a livable wage!

Their mission:
Preserving and expanding Ben & Jerry's social mission, brand integrity and product quality, by providing social mission-mindful insight and guidance to ensure we're making the best ice cream possible in the best way possible.  

All in all, they're an enterprising group of mover-shakers and difference-makers who really know their stuff.

Best of all, they're not stuffy about it.

THE BASICS

Name: Jeff Furman
                aka Super Guy
Current Residence: Ithaca, NY
Birth Place: Troy, NY
Linked In: jfurman@twcny.rr.com

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: ]Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt

Music: Old Rock & Roll, and anything that makes you want to dance

Places/Country to Visit: Anywhere that I don't speak the language, which is just about everywhere. I have a preference for third and fourth world countries.

Quote: "If we had justice we wouldn't need charity!"

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: For many years, my work has been focused on social justice for those who are marginalized in our society. For example, I've led campaigns in schools to demand high quality programs for students faced with racism and/or class discrimination. I've actively supported livable wage and other campaigns for low income workers. Recently I've been engaged with the social forum movement.

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I got to know Ben and Jerry when Ben and I worked at a small residential school in upstate New York. I helped write the first business plan for the original store at the gas station in Burlington, and have been involved in almost all aspects of the business.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since 1980

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
I remain a strong advocate for running our company by leading with progressive values. I believe in the importance of honoring all our stakeholders - which includes those who work at the company, the farmers who supply our milk, our franchisees, and those in our supply chain. I'm proud of our unique history and business model, and I've seen how Ben & Jerry's has inspired many other people to adopt more socially responsible business practices. The exciting challenge is to keep that vision alive, operational, growing and real into the future.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
I chair the board and provide some historical memory, and along with my fellow board members have a deep connection to NGO groups dedicated to creating a more just world. I am honored to serve with my fellow board members. I believe we compliment and push each other to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of the founders. I try my best to insure that workers and all of our partners are considered when options are discussed.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
My long-term history stands out, and the fact that I've been around while our understanding of how to run a values-led company evolved over time. I helped craft the mission and progressive values statement and try to maintain those ideals as guiding principles, with a focus on linked prosperity. Lastly, I'm the only board member who's also worked full time for the company. All in all, I'm at thirty years and counting. That's a lot of ice cream.

RESUME

A degree in Business with a major in accounting-1965-NYU
A law degree 1968-NYU
Member New York State Bar

Current boards and organizations:
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's' Foundation
Funders Network on Transforming the Global Economy
Oakland Institute
Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency
Equity and Inclusion Committee
ACTION

I currently run a not for profit called Social Ventures, Inc. which I started about 10 years ago. We work with almost 20 programs in Tompkins County from a free health clinic to Sustainable Tompkins (an environmental group) to work on race and class issues in public schools.

I am happily married to Sara and have 2 terrific kids, Emily and Zach.

I recently organized a bike trip to Detroit to attend the United States Social Forum.

See www.bikeit.org

THE BASICS

Name: Pierre Ferrari
                aka The Blur
Current Residence: Atlanta, GA
Birth Place: Lubumbashi, Congo
Linked In: @progbiz

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Cherry Garcia

Music: The Beatles

Book/Movie: Blessed Unrest/Apocalypse Now

Places/Country to Visit: Tibet, Senegal & Paris

Quote: "Wars (poverty/injustice/ecological?) are won by people who actually go out and do things" - George Patton

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I left Coca Cola after 18 years in '95 and went to CARE. Ben and Jerry were intrigued by this act and contacted me. We got to know each other and they invited me to join the board.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since 1998

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
The company is a substantial business that can lead the global business world with actions (we can do things!) that alleviate injustice and be ecologically reparative. For example, we can lead U.S. industry into an understanding and adoption of Fair Trade, we can spread the word about Living Wage policies, we can encourage the inclusion of disadvantaged communities and support their economic development. And we can do all this at a scale that is relevant to other companies globally. We are working on designing a business system that regenerates, enriches and elevates life, not just does less harm!

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
I attempt to ensure that all on the board are heard and that the three-part mission of the company is kept in harmony and is synergistic. We are working in a living laboratory on how sustainability can become an engine of value creation that dramatically exceeds common expectations.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
Lots of experience in small, medium and very large businesses. I have been an entrepreneur. I have worked in non-profits. I have experience in finance, marketing, operations and teaching. I am still learning. We are living at a time of amazing ferment with huge opportunities and challenges. There is no better or more important time to be doing this work!

RESUME

He has 40 years of business experience ranging from large consumer package goods organization such as Coca-Cola (Senior VP, Coca-Cola USA) to smaller businesses. From 1995 on, he focused his energies on a variety of social issues ranging from International Relief and Development (Special assistant to the President of CARE www.care.org), Conscientious Commerce (Chair of Ben and Jerry's continuing board www.benjerry.com,) board member of Small Enterprise Assistance Funds www.seafweb.org whose mission is to provide equity financing to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, emerging markets and in countries undergoing economic transition. He sits the Advisory Council for The Emory Ethics Center www.emory.ethics.edu. He sits on the board an Atlanta non-profit that raise funds for Maji Mazuri (www.majimazuri.org.) a Kenyan organization whose mission is to help people escape from the bondage of poverty, ignorance and myth and become fully developed individuals. He is an advisory trustee of Oglethorpe University.

Pierre is involved in several for profits initiatives. He is an investor and director of Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products, www.guayaki.com a company that combines scaled reforestation in South America, the reparation of many small communities and the marketing of Guayaki yerba mate. He is president of "Hot Fudge" venture capital fund, a community development venture capital fund whose purpose is to use venture capital to create jobs, entrepreneurial capacity and wealth that advance the livelihoods and wealth opportunities of low-income people and the economies of distressed communities. He teaches (Sustainable) MBA Marketing as a practitioner at Bainbridge Graduate Institute. And he is a founder of EthixVentures. www.ethixmerch.com/ and of QuatreCinq LLC, a marketer of innovative, healthy and socially responsible nutritional supplements.

Pierre holds a Masters degree in Economics from The University of Cambridge and a MBA (1976) from Harvard Business School.

He has two amazing sons, married to the awesome Kimberly, in awe of two stepdaughters, reads voraciously, and enjoys golf and squash.

THE BASICS

Name: Jennifer Henderson
                aka Wonderful Woman
Current Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Birth Place: Sacramento, California

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: New York Super Fudge Chunk and Phish Food (tie)

Music: Akon; Mary J. Blige; and Alicia Keyes

Book/Movie: Trouble the Waters/Jerry McGuire

Quote: "Believe only half of what you think"

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: I am committed to working to advance equity and justice for people who have been marginalized socially and economically.  For over four decades, I have worked in partnership and solidarity with residents of urban and rural communities in the US and other parts of the world to organize and advocate for living wages, affordable housing, accessible health care, quality education and food security.  Over the past five years, my organizing and advocacy work has been most focused on the redevelopment of a number of neighborhoods in New Orleans.  Together with others, the resilience of the people of New Orleans has been encouraged and supported by generosity of millions of people from around the world. Much of my work has been to design and unite efforts of physical and economic development to create more livable neighborhoods in a city still in the process of re-envisioning itself. Lastly, since childhood, I have maintained a belief in and passion for the power of peace.  I continue to work with organizations that challenge the use of war and violence to achieve self-serving, unsustainable economic and political goals.

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I met Ben, Jerry and Jeff at the beginning of the One Percent for Peace Campaign.  I had been working for years with Jobs for Peace to achieve a 25% transfer of military dollars to much-needed domestic spending on education, jobs, health and housing.  The two efforts were naturally aligned.  Soon after working as a volunteer on the One Percent for Peace Campaign, I was asked to help think through the organization of the Ben & Jerry's Foundation.  With advice from myself and other activists and organizers from around the country, the Foundation established the employees as the decision-makers for grant making.  After several years of working with the company on a number of projects, I was thrilled to be nominated and voted onto the Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since 1996

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
By being a part of Ben & Jerry's, I have the responsibility and privilege of working for equity and justice within both a business and community context.  It is an amazing experience to work alongside others who, like me, believe that Ben & Jerry's is an expression of how the world can be.  Ben & Jerry's embraces the notion of abundance where it is possible for the actions, decisions, and positions that we each take can compliment and support each other --- linked destiny.  The centerpiece of this world view is love and compassion.  Commitment to these ideals has changed the entire notion of responsible business. I love the way that way the company brings creativity, energy and insight to address business and community issues. The company's "Leading with Progressive Values" is a rallying call for business to operate in a way that is simultaneously ethical, sustainable and profitable. I believe that we as a planet are at a moment where these ideals are essential to our survival and more achievable than ever before.  I am deeply confident that in the decades to come, Ben & Jerry's will continue to challenge, re-invent and itself and contribute to a just and caring world.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
Jeff, Pierre and I served on the BOD before the acquisition by Unilever.  We have the informal responsibility for sharing the genesis, background and history of the company with new board members and Unilever. This knowledge has been very important in setting the context for decisions the company makes today.  I also work with the board in the areas of the Social Audit, Board Development, and CEO Compensation.  These committees are responsible for insuring that the terms laid out in the Sales Agreement are maintained.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
I have more than 40 years of experience in the fields of community economic development, urban and rural public policy advocacy, organizational development and social enterprises. These skills have been called upon as the company has 1) developed ways to partner with nonprofit organizations; 2) considered the community-wide implications of major decisions like closing a plant; 3) reviewed marketing campaigns that relayed a strong position on issues like Fair Trade; and 4) requested support and encouragement to the CEO and senior staff in their visioning and planning.

I have worked with stakeholders, including businesses, to create shared wealth and prosperity both inside businesses and within the larger community.  This includes specific skills in strategic planning; organizational development; leadership development; team building; social, political and economic justice advocacy; and collaboration.

Like my fellow BOD members, I bring to Ben & Jerry's a wide network of relationships and contacts that have proven useful to the company. Currently, the work of my firm on food access, food security and food deserts might provide a lens to examine Ben & Jerry's role in the current debate regarding childhood obesity and other food-related maladies. As the BOD has become more visible to the employees and other company stakeholders, each of the BOD members has become even more intentional in sharing their specific expertise with the company, where appropriate and applicable.

THE BASICS

Name: Jostein Solheim
                aka Scooper Man
Current Residence:  Shelburne, Vermont
Birth Place: Bergen, Norway
Twitter: @benandjerrys

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Chunky Monkey as a classic favorite, and Fair Trade Milk & Cookies has been growing on me (and my wife Rebecca!).

Music: Very broad taste, currently listening a lot to Chris Botti.

Book/Movie: My true love is newspapers as I like to follow a broad set of topics and know what is going on in the world! Ideally I would read 3 to 4 different papers from different countries every day. These days 90% of books that I read are about values led businesses, fair trade, the environment and development!  The last movie that made an big impression on me was Food Inc!  

Places/Country to Visit: Any place in a sailboat, and anywhere that I can experience the beauty of nature. Although I confess an unabashed feeling that Norway is the most beautiful place on earth!

Quote: My mantra that I've repeated a hundred times since starting at Ben & Jerry's is: "Change is a wonderful thing."

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause:  I'm passionate about gender equality and access to education for all.  I firmly believe that if women had equal access to positions of power, and if all kids had a quality education, the world would be a better place!  We also need a planet for future generations so anything we can do to preserve it is important, including reducing carbon emissions, and preserving natural resources, specifically land and water.

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
Good karma brought me to Ben & Jerry's specifically because I am an ice cream guy!  I have worked with ice cream for 15 years across Europe, Eastern Europe and North America. I happened to be in the right place, at the right time. My passion for values led businesses combined with the right skills to lead Ben & Jerry's made me a solid candidate to take on this the challenge.

How long have I been on the BOD:I officially started as CEO on April 1st, 2010.  No April Fool's jokes, please!

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
The world needs dramatic change to address the social and environmental challenges we are facing.  Values led businesses can play a critical role in driving that positive change.  We need to lead by example, and prove to the world that this is the best way to run a business. Historically, this company has been and must continue to be a pioneer to continually challenge how business can be a force for good and address inequities inherent in global business.

THE BASICS

Name: Terry Mollner
                aka Mr. Midnight
Current Residence: Western Massachusetts
Birth Place:  Omaha, Nebraska
Linked In: Terry Mollner

Twitter: TerryMoll

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Music: Jimmy Durante

Book/Movie: The Story of My Life by Mohandas Ghandi/ Ghandi

Places/Country to Visit: My backyard / Guatamala

Quote: "We are all in this together." - on a flag created by some of the survivors of 9/11

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: http://CREWFund.org / Calvert Social Investment Foundation / ending poverty

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I called Ben when I read that Ben & Jery's might be bought to help; together we worked to have a team of socially responsible investors that Judy Wicks and I brought together to be an investment group to buy it; when that turned out to not be possible the board and my team worked together to have it bought by Unilever, one of the best multinationals; and I was invited to be on the board of directors.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since April 2000

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
Making sure the model we created, where the board of directors remains in existence in perpetuity with the ability to choose its successors and maintains primary responsibility for "the social mission and brand integrity," is a big success for all and is copied by others.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
If I have a priority it is described above.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
I have been involved with creating socially responsible businesses since 1972 and am one of the earliest pioneers in socially responsible investing. I am one of the founders of the Calvert Social Investment Funds and its Foundation. I also believe I see where the next stage in the evolution of this movement is going: we will focus on the highest priority of companies rather than the secondary priorities which was asking them to care more about the employees, community and environment. I call it "common good capitalism" and it is coming to your town soon!  It is where free market competitors in a product area form an association around their continued competition to agree on standards that give priority to the common good. With partners I have created Stakeholders Capital in Amherst, MA, a wealth management firm that specializes in common good investing; and CREW Fund, the world's first member directed endowment fund that invests in common good businesses. Check them out!

RESUME

Terry Mollner, Ed.D., is a founder and chair of Stakeholders Capital, Inc., a socially responsible wealth management company in Amherst, MA.

In the 1970s Dr. Mollner was one of the earliest pioneers of socially responsible investing and, in 1982, was one of the founders of the Calvert Social Investment Funds, the first such funds with the full panoply of social screens. Today it is the largest family of such funds with nearly $5 billion under management. He also provided leadership to create the Calvert Foundation that is pioneering "community investment" - investment to end poverty - as another new asset territory in the professional investment community. It currently manages over $550 million and has just launched a program to make its note available to over 300 million EBay and Pay Pal customers. He has been on the board of both of these organizations since inception.

A team of investors he created almost bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000 and ultimately arranged for it to be bought by Unilever with the board continuing with primary responsibility for the social mission and brand integrity. He now sits on its board.

He is also a founder and president of Trusteeship Institute, Inc., established in 1973. It served as an umbrella organization for his projects and those of his friends. With Aspen Institute it organized a conference in May 2008 entitled "Selling Without Selling Out: Lessons From the Founders of Socially Responsible Businesses Bought by Multinationals." Dr. Mollner interviewed a number of founders on videos that can be viewed on Trusteeship Institute's website (trusteeship.org).

His latest book, The Love Skill: Welcome to the Relationship Age!, will be available soon. Like an apple tree and all living things, he believes there are layers of maturity of being a human being and a highest layer that, with good eldering, can be discovered by the time we are in our twenties. From then on our highest priority is the maturation of us all, what he calls "eldering" as it has usually been labeled throughout history. If we do not know there is a highest layer, we will not seek to master it or move on to giving priority to eldering, assisting others and our organizations to move up the layers of maturity as well. The second third suggests ways mature elders will re-organize democracy to be a process that is a cooperative search for truth instead of a war of the ballot box, create common good corporations that freely choose to give priority to the common good and outcompete their competitors in a free market economy, successfully re-village our lives in a modern context, etc. The third part suggests ways to improve at being a mature elder.

Terry is also Chair of yourolivebranch.org, a kind of Facebook extension for peace and sustainability activists and a member of the board of Act Now! which assists young teenage girls to build self-esteem by writing, directing, filming, and using improve to act in their own movies. Terry was trained in improv at Second City in Chicago.

THE BASICS

Name: Anuradha Mittal
                aka Green Goddess
Current Residence: U.S., France, India
Birth Place: Meerut, India

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: It varies

Music: Jazz

Book/Movie: for 2010... What is the What / movie .... uhmmmmmm... too many for me to determine

Places/Country to Visit: Galapagos Islands / the world

Quote: "Until the lions tell their own story, tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter."

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: the right to food and a life of dignity for all

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I was contacted by Jeff Furman who expressed an interest to have me join the board. Following that, I got to speak to other independent directors and was soon invited to join.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since 2008

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
This is real, practical work... an opportunity to give voice to what are called ideological fantasies, to see a vision for social change come to fruition, and to know how corporations can be made to behave in the world.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
To ensure that Ben & Jerry's maintains and grows its social mission... to be really the "coolest" company that "determines" how to be in this world and set standards for other companies!

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
Expertise in the following areas: Food Security/Food Safety & Social/Environmental/Economic Justice issues

RESUME

Anuradha Mittal is an internationally renowned expert on trade, development, human rights, and agriculture issues. After working as the codirector of Food First/ Institute for Food and Development Policy, Mittal established the Oakland Institute, a progressive policy think tank, in 2004.

Mittal is the author and editor of numerous articles and books including (mis) Investment in America Needs Human Rights; The Future in the Balance: Essays on Globalization and Resistance; Sahel: A Prisoner of Starvation; and most recently of Voices from Africa: African Farmers and Environmentalists Speak out Against a New Green Revolution;and The Great Land Grab: Rush for World's Farmland Threatens Food Security for the Poor . Her articles and opinion pieces have been published in widely circulated newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Bangkok Post, Houston Chronicle, and the Nation. Anuradha has given several hundred keynote addresses including invitational events from governments and universities, and has appeared on television and radio shows around the world.

Named as the 2008 Most Valuable Progressive Thinker by the Nation magazine, Anuradha was awarded the 2007 Global Citizen Award by the UNA-USA East Bay and KPFA Peace Award in 2006. She is on the board and advisory committees of several non profit organizations including the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) and is a member of the independent board of Ben & Jerry's which focuses on providing leadership for Ben & Jerry's social mission and brand integrity.

Anuradha lives in Oakland and can be reached at amittaloaklandinstitute.org.

THE BASICS

Name: Kees Van der Graaf
                aka Depth Charge
Current Residence: Wassenaar, the Netherlands
Birth Place: Goes, the Netherlands

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Music: The Rolling Stones

Book/Movie: The Ice Cream Maker

Places/Country to Visit: Spain, Switserland, The Far East

Quote: "Keep things simple."

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: I am passionate about making a significant contribution to finding a cure for muscular dystrophy FSHD, of which my son suffers.

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
The lion share of my Unilever career I was directly or indirectly involved with the ice cream business. It is my favourite category. I have always been a fan of Ben & Jerry's three part mission approach. When I was President of Unilever Europe I was firmly in support of the conversion of the Hellendoorn factory to a real Ben & Jerry's factory.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since mid 2009

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
I truly believe in the Ben & Jerry's mission.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
Bridging the Ben & Jerry's and the Unilever interests. Which, by the way, are more aligned than some people think.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
Ice Cream passion, combined with a conviction that real change is necessary to create a better world.

RESUME

Kees van der Graaf joined IMD as Executive-in-Residence in November 2008, following his retirement from the Board of Unilever, where most recently he was responsible for their European business. His 32 year-long career brought him to most countries in the world. He worked in The Netherlands, the US, England, Spain and Switzerland, mostly in food businesses, with emphasis on the ice cream sector. The establishment of an ice cream operation for Unilever in China was one of his most exciting assignments.

As global category leader for ice cream, he was responsible for the roll-out of these activities across the world. The integration of the Bestfoods business in Europe was his next assignment, followed by the global launch of the core brand in his capacity as European head of the Ice Cream and Frozen Foods Business Group. He then joined the Unilever Board as Foods Division Director. In his final role, Kees created a sustainable, growing European business. A radical change plan was successfully implemented.

Kees is the founder and chair of the FSHD Foundation, an organization that raises research funds for this rare form of muscular dystrophy. Subsequently, together with the Dutch National Soccer team, he created an organization that raises money for children with a muscular dystrophy in general. Kees is now in the process of creating an international patients organization.

The latter years of Kees' career allowed time for self-reflection. He concluded that his life was out of balance, with too much time absorbed by his profession. His family and the foundations were not getting the attention they needed. He therefore decided to ask for early retirement from Unilever. He joined IMD to study the concept of total balance and share his experience with other executives.

Kees is a graduate mechanical and business engineer from the University of Twente in The Netherlands. After his studies he completed his national service in the Dutch Navy.

Kees loves outdoor sports like sailing, skiing and golf: a passion that he shares with his wife (except for the sailing). They have three sons, who all live in Amsterdam; the two youngest are students, the oldest is a young graduate in his first real job. The muscular dystrophy disease of the oldest has created a very close family relationship. They enjoy taking holidays together. The China Olympics experience was unforgettable.

Kees is a non-executive director of the ANWB (automobile club) and Ben&Jerry (as from 2009). He is also a supervisory member of the Board of Spieren voor Spieren and, until the end of 2008, of Synergos, the organizational arm of the Global Philanthropists Circle.

His current portfolio of activities allows him to really enjoy everything he does.

THE BASICS

Name: Helen Jones
                aka Shock Wave
Current Residence: Amersham, UK
Birth Place: Formby, near Liverpool

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: Phish Food

Music: Everything from Classical to Rock music. Currently my favourite band is Montane (founded by my 17 year old son, Will who writes music and plays lead guitar). Okay, so they haven't been discovered yet and I'm biased, but that's a mum's perogative.

Book/Movie: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry/The Lives of Others

Places/Country to Visit: Asia - India in particular

Quote: "Leaders grasp nettles."

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: My new business has just become a patron of The Princes Trust, a charity supporting young vulnerable people not in education, training or employment in the UK. We'll provide mentoring, work placements and funds raised through customer and employee led initiatives. www.theprincestrust.org

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I worked for Ben & Jerry's for almost 15 years. I was the first employee outside the US, hired to introduce B&J's to the Brits back in 1994. It was a fantastic experience and with my small and unbelievably talented team we built a great business in the UK before moving  on to conquer Europe. Some of these guys are still involved but I left to pursue an exciting new career in the restaurant sector. Fortunately though, I must have done something right because I was recently invited back to join the BOD which is a great honour.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since January 29, 2011

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
Because I have loved this company since the day I first walked into the office in Waterbury. Ben and Jerry inspired me then and nothing has changed. I consider myself unbelievably lucky to have had the opportunity to work with them and to spread the word across Europe. It helps of course that the ice cream is incredible too, but Ben & Jerry's really is a very special place.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
To bring European perspective to the group and experience of working within the Global Unilever framework.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
Being part of a global corporation has its challenges and my role was always to protect the integrity of the Ben & Jerry's brand as we grew. This is the experience I hope to bring to the BOD and the understanding of both Ben & Jerry's culture and Unilever's ways of working.

RESUME

Managing Director, Zizzi

Helen's career to date has centred on food and drink. She joined IDV (UK) in 1985 to help establish, as a start-up team of six, an adult soft drinks category which included Aqua Libra and Purdeys. There she held a number of roles ranging from customer development, trade and brand marketing before leaving to join Ben & Jerry's in January 1995.

Initially hired as the first employee for Ben & Jerry's outside the US, to build their UK business, she started by converting her spare bedroom at home into B&J's HQ. With the help of a second hand desk, a hired printer and small mobile freezer, she was set up as a one woman ice cream operation. As the UK business prospered she recruited more staff until they eventually outgrew their home-bases and moved into an office in Egham.

In 2000, Ben & Jerry's was acquired by Unilever so Helen managed this difficult transition, whilst retaining her team and the right to continue to run the UK business as an independent operation. She then went on to lead Ben & Jerry's European expansion strategy and the subsequent roll out as Regional Brand Development Director.

Helen was instrumental in securing Unilever's commitment to the sustainable dairy programme and the move to 100% Fairtrade certified ingredients across Europe. By 2009, Ben & Jerry's had launched in 15 European countries generating retail sales in excess of €250m. Not bad from a standing start and both personally and professionally, a proud achievement.

Helen left Ben & Jerry's / Unilever in July 2009 to join Zizzi, an Italian casual dining brand with 100 restaurants across the UK as their Managing Director.

THE BASICS

Name: Daryn Dodson (@impactpreneur)
                aka Red Talon
Current Residence: USA
Birth Place: Washington, DC

FAVORITES

Ben & Jerry's Flavor: AmeriCone Dream

Music: “Get up. Stand up.” Bob Marley

Book/Movie: “Made to Stick.” Chip and Dan Heath

Places/Country to Visit: Burma and Senegal

Quote: "Language does not just describe reality. Language creates the reality it describes.!" -Desmond Tutu

NPO or Social/Environmental Cause: Business Justice. Yes, I made that up! The idea is that as business leaders leverage their hearts, minds and resources to achieve justice, peace, and freedom, the world would become more just and better for future generations. I serve on two boards dedicated to this pursuit: 1) Stanford Business Alumni Board of Directors; empowering alumni to change lives, change organizations, and change the world 2) The Idea Village; rebuilding New Orleans through Entrepreneurship.

BEN & JERRY'S BIO

A little background...
I learned about the Ben and Jerry’s Board with working with two other board members, Terry Mollner and Jennifer Henderson in the socially responsible investing movement and the New Orleans rebuilding movements respectively. Jennifer and Terry introduced me to the other directors who collectively invited me to join. I could not resist this opportunity to apply my experiences and creativity to grow this business’s positive impact on society worldwide.

How long have I been on the BOD: Since 2012

Why am I passionate about Ben & Jerry's?:
I have become passionate about Ben and Jerry’s as I meet the customers, factory workers and farmers who power the company. They trust us with the important stuff: their kids and their kid’s stomachs. When they buy and make our ice cream, they are casting votes for the future: votes that proactively support the communities and world their kids will one day inherit.

What is my role/purpose on the BOD:
My role is to make sure the flavor graveyard is filled with ideas of all different types. The flavor graveyard celebrates failure as a bi-product of innovation; the flavors that did not sell well basically go to rest there with their own tombstone! As we push for both unprecedented financial growth, and push the bounds of creating significant and measurable positive impact across our entire supply chain and stakeholder base, we expect to make mistakes and that’s ok. You do not become most positive impact driven, the most profitable, highest quality company in the world by not daring to reach the next horizon and falling short at times. My role is to make sure we don’t get tired of the taste of failure, and that we always communicate our story to other companies; ultimately offering a rigorously battle tested model of business success that also includes, and centers on, the planet and future generations.

What unique capabilities do I bring to Ben & Jerry's and the BOD?:
Impact Investing. My recent experience as a consultant to the Board of Directors at Calvert Funds includes identifying and vetting impact entrepreneurs and private equity funds for investment globally. In other words, I advise on investments into teams that aspire to build the next generation of Ben and Jerry’s-like companies.