Scott Duennes has been the Executive Director of Cornucopia and Nature's Bin for the past 24 years.  He is responsible for providing day to day leadership and management of Cornucopia, Inc. consistent with fulfilling its non-profit mission of helping people with disabilities develop skills, confidence, and workplace potential.  This includes the operations of the Nature's Bin retail natural foods store, the Rehabilitative and Development functions and all of the related administrative activities (including Finance, Human Resources and Marketing) associated with running the organization. Scott has a bachelor of arts in communications from Cleveland State University.
 
Scott has successfully guided Cornucopia and Nature's Bin through more than two decades of growth and change.  This past year (2009) the organization provided over 262 vocational services to 180 individuals with severe disabilities.  More than half of the program referrals came from the Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD with others coming from the State of Ohio and local school districts.    Their disabilities vary from Autism, Mental Retardation, Development Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Hearing or Speech Impairments, Mental Illness and injuries resulting from accidents and illness.  Scott has also recently put in place a new initiative focused on Autism as we begin to see a growing number of young adults having been diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum.  
 
Vocational training takes place in three community based training programs, at Nature's Bin in Lakewood, at Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network facility located on the westside of Cleveland and the Jennings Center for Older Adults in Garfield Heights.  Cornucopia's Employment Services assist people with disabilities in gaining and  retaining competitive employment in the community.
 
On the Retail side of the business, Scott has led the retail management team through the expansion and renovation of Lakewood's only full service natural and organic food market.  Annual retail sales at Nature's Bin have increased from $325,000 in 1986 to over $5 million in 2009.   The operation of Nature's Bin is a model of Social Enterprise where a nonprofit organization operates a business which helps them fulfill their mission. Cornucopia's operation of Nature's Bin provides 76% of the funding required to support the entire organization.  The store also provides a unique platform for the vocational training program and Nature's Bin has been recognized nationally for it's blending of social services with a very successful, full service natural foods market.
 
Scott and Nature's Bin have been an active member of the community and of the Chamber of Commerce of Lakewood for over 25 years, serving several terms on the board of directors.

 

Scott received his award on June 18th at the Lakewood Chamber's Annual Awards Luncheon held at Around the Corner in Lakewood.