Everything Co-op With Vernon Oakes

Vernon interviews John Torres, VP of Communication and Public Relations for the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International. Vernon and John discuss the 2019 Cooperative IMPACT Conference, and other initiatives being sponsored by NCBA CLUSA. The conference will be held on October 2-4, at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel, in Arlington, Virginia. John currently serves as the Vice President of Communication and Public Relations for the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA). The organization serves as the primary voice in the U.S. for people who use cooperatives to build a better world. It provides cross-sector education, support, and advocacy that helps co-ops thrive, with an international development portfolio of over $48 million in active programs in 20 countries. NCBA CLUSA's 2019 Co-op IMPACT Conference program provides an opportunity for attendees to be part of the conversation at this year's only national, cross-sector event for cooperatives and the

On Thursday, August 15, 2019 Everything Co-op host Vernon Oakes, and co-producer RL Condra hosted the show live from the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund's 52nd Annual Meeting. Vernon Oakes discusses the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Federation of Southern Co-operatives with the Executive Director, Cornelius Blanding, and RL Condra and Vernon discuss the history of Everything Co-op, and the most memorable lessons, and guests of the show. Vernon and Cornelius also discussed the upcoming events of the three-day annual meeting, including the Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony. This year the Federation honored Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. This award is given in memory of Estelle Witherspoon, a woman whose dedication to the advancement of her community and to all humanity epitomizes the true spirit of community and cooperation.. Highlights of the upcoming workshops, round-table discussions, and networking programs, scheduled to take place at the Federation's Rural Trai

Representative Edmond Dwayne Jordan, is a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 29. Vernon and Rep. Jordan discuss his role on the Board of Directors of Essential Federal Credit Union, how cooperatives can be used to address community problems in Louisiana, and how his commitment to those persons who are underrepresented in society aligns with cooperative values and principles. Representative Jordan is an attorney and politician. On May 14, 2016, he won a special election runoff to succeed fellow Democrat Ronnie Edwards, and was recently re-elected to serve another 4-year term on August 8, 2019, in an uncontested race. He current serves on the following Legislative Committees: Commerce, Homeland Security, Insurance, Judiciary, and Legislative Audit Advisory Council. A Life-long Brusly resident, Jordan graduated from the historically black Southern University and the Southern University Law Center, both in the capital city of Baton Rouge. An attorney since 1998, Jor

Richard Larochelle, Co-op Instructor, and Cooperative Hall of Fame member is interviewed by host Vernon Oakes. Vernon and Richard discuss the co-op course he teaches at the University of Mary Washington, and the different ways he continues to support the cooperative movement. Although retired now, Rich Larochelle continues to contribute to the advancement of cooperatives through his involvement with a startup food co-op in his community, and by teaching cooperative principles. Rich is a founding director of the Fredericksburg Food Co-op and is currently the co-op's Board Chair. He is also an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Mary Washington, where he co-teaches a course on Cooperative Business. Rich Larochelle has spent his life championing the cooperative business model. During a 40-year electric cooperative career -including nearly a decade with the federal Rural Electrification Administration (REA) and later senior leadership posts with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association an

Bianca Vazquez, Director of Beloved Community Incubator (BCI), discusses the genesis of the organization, and resources and services that are offered to support the development of cooperatives. She also walks through the case history of Dulce Hogar Cleaning Cooperative, a cooperative the organization helped to form. Bianca Vazquez has been at the Steinbruck Center since August of 2011. In 2011. Bianca graduated with an interdisciplinary major in Sociology and Political Science from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, MD. During her time at Loyola, she was active in Spring Break Outreach, Loyola's Alternative Break Program. She participated in trips to Baltimore, MD, Biloxi, MS, and Pine Ridge Reservation, SD where she was exposed to the power of alternative breaks and allowing marginalized communities to become her teachers. Bianca is committed to facilitating transformative service and educational experiences for groups and reimagining what volunteering and community engagement can look like. Beloved

Kimberly Smith, CEO and founder of Marjani, a Beauty and Cosmetics Company for women of color is interviewed on Everything Co-op. Vernon and Kimberly discuss how Marjani fulfills its mission, and how it has used a cooperative business model to accommodate the business structure that was desired. As an Ivy League trained attorney, Kimberly advised companies navigating the complex regulatory world of the health care industry, but growing up, Kimberly always had a passion for fashion and beauty. "I can remember being one of the few girls who always wore heels and a full face of make up to class on my college campus," says Kimberly. "Expressing myself through different hairstyles, make-up, and fashion, has always been fun for me." Eventually Kimberly started an online business, and eventually expanded to open a store in partnership with her best friend. Marjani opened its doors eight months ago. Marjani's Pledge: "We aim to not just be a retailer, but a community where shopping is a fun, memorable experience.

Peggy Fogarty, Executive Director at the Keystone Development Center, KDC, discusses how KDC works with the development of emerging Co-ops. She talks about her background in the cooperative movement, and shares examples of how KDC has helped to develop co-ops in each of the Cooperative sectors; including worker, consumer, purchasing and marketing. In addition to being the Executive Director of KDC, Peggy Fogarty is the board/organization liaison. She oversees KDC's funding plan, finances, operations, systems, projects, clients, and staff. She has been employed by KDC since 2005, and has served as the ED since 2014. Her experience includes over 19 years of program development and administration, 15 years teaching in adult education, and 7 years as a produce farmer. Her focus has been on increasing KDC's impact and developing systems to measure and report on the success of KDC's clients. She has also been instrumental in expanding the reach of the organization regionally and in the diversity of the projects

Community development specialist Margaret Lund, and research analyst Leiha Edmonds discuss The "ABCs of Co-op Impact," and cooperative development. Margaret Lund is an independent consultant specializing in the areas of community development, finance and shared ownership strategies. Throughout her career, Margaret has worked across cooperative sectors including credit unions, consumer co-ops, housing co-ops, worker co-ops, healthcare and sustainable food systems. Before launching her consulting practice in 2008, Margaret spent 16 years as a small business lender to cooperatives. Lund is a past member of the boards of the U.S. National Cooperative Business Association, and Health Partners, the largest consumer-governed healthcare organization in the United States. Past awards include the Howard Bowers Cooperative Service Award from the Consumer Cooperative Managers Association, and the 2014 John Logue Award for "acting as a catalyst for innovation and change" from the Association of Cooperative Educators.

Stephen R. McDow II, Director of Membership, Outreach and Education at the Keystone Development Center is interviewed on Everything Co-op, by host Vernon Oakes. Vernon and Stephen discuss the role cooperatives can play in addressing community problems. Most especially that of food desserts, and the recent proliferation of dollar stores in low income communities, and the impact the lack of access to healthy food can have on life expectancy in those communities. Stephen R. McDow II has dedicated his life to bringing together rural and urban America for the purposes of achieving an inclusive economy. He firmly believes that any approach to diversity must be deliberate, but he also feels the challenge is the need a identify a validator who relates to the individuals you are trying to connect with. When discussing the challenges of diversity in cooperatives Stephen states; "I think oftentimes, we are so siloed in our communities that we don't see the similarities - but the equaliser is co-ops, because they c

Alex Stone, Executive Director of CooperationWorks! (CW), is interviewed on Everything Co-op, by host Vernon Oakes. Vernon and Alex discuss her experiences in the cooperative movement, and how Cooperation Works! uses its national network of Cooperative Development Centers, to help revitalize communities through effective cooperative enterprise development. Alex Stone first became involved with co-ops through student housing co-ops at UC Berkeley, where she lived for three years and participated as a house-level manager and board member. She was deeply involved with the creation of the Berkeley Student Food Collective and served as the store's first Operations Manager through its first two years. Alex co-founded the Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive and coordinated its first training involving over twenty students from seven universities across the west coast. As Executive Director of CW, she looks forward to expanding CW's impact in the field of cooperative development. CooperationWorks! is the C

Jennifer Bryant, Program Manager for Community Wealth Building Initiatives at Washington Area Community Investment Fund(Wacif), appears on Everything Co-op. Jennifer and Vernon discuss strategies to preserve wealth in communities, and how worker owned cooperatives can be used as an exit strategy for retiring baby boomer executives. As Program Manager for Community Wealth Building Initiatives, Jennifer leads the DC Employee Ownership Initiative, a strategic investment to preserve legacy businesses and create new pathways to entrepreneurship. Prior to joining the staff at Wacif Jennifer worked for several years in the labor and cooperative movements. She is grounded in the belief that shared ownership and community wealth are central to building racial and economic equity. Jennifer is committed to revitalizing and expanding employee ownership in the District. She was a founding steering committee member of Cooperation DC, a grassroots group that organized trainings, learning journeys, and community popul

Gina Schaefer Co-Founder & CEO of 11 ACE Hardware Stores is interviewed by Vernon Oakes, Host of Everything Co-op. Gina and Vernon discuss how she and her husband Marc have been able to open so many stores, their path to success, their benefit packages, community participation and the value of treating people well. Gina Schaefer is the Co-Founder and CEO of 11 ACE Hardware stores located in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Alexandria, Virginia. She is a passionate entrepreneur who grew her company from one to eleven stores in a twelve year period, and with her husband leads a multi-million dollar small business that employs more than 250 people. Gina has tirelessly focused on the "Return to Main Street" movement in her own city of Washington D.C. to promote Shop Local campaigns and community revitalization projects in urban areas. She serves on several Boards, and is a member of the ACE Center for Excellence. Gina has received many accolades for her accomplishments including: Recipient, Wom

Host of Everything Co-op, Vernon Oakes interviews Rod Kelsay, Executive Director of Mid America Cooperative Council (MACC). Vernon and Rod discuss efforts of the Council to address the lack of unique co-op educational resources available in the Midwestern region, and the moral values and principles that will help sustain cooperative businesses. MACC is a multi-state, non-profit trade association founded in January 2003, by a group of like-minded individuals. These individuals understood the impact cooperative principles have on the sustainability of co-ops, yet they began to see a widespread erosion of co-op knowledge among co-op communities. All sectors of cooperatives were engaged in establishing MACC. The founders also wanted to address the lack of unique co-op educational resources available in the Midwestern region. Members co-aligned and co-created MACC, filling this advocacy gap. If you are a member of a co-op with new or tenured employees who need to have a better understanding of the unique differe

Amy White Abbott, Director of Community Purchasing Alliance (CPA), appears on Everything Co-op, a nationally broadcast radio show. Vernon and Amy discuss benefits provided to members of CPA, Employment opportunities to join CPA, and examples of how the cooperative has helped leverage the power of its members to address common problems. Prior to CPA Amy was a community organizer in Northern Virginia where Amy taught citizens how to build power in order to change their communities. Amy helped hundreds of people organize around preschool access and won over 800 new slots of pre-k for low-income children. Amy grew up in rural Ohio and is the product of both the immigrant and the American dream. Her grandparents came to the United States from Italy seeking a better life for themselves and their family. Because of this, Amy feels a deep responsibility to make systemic changes and seeks to address issues of inequality, racism and poverty with others who want a more just society. At Catholic Charities, Amy built su

Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op interviews Roberta MacDonald, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Cabot Creamery Cooperative. Vernon and Roberta discuss the 2019 Cooperative Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony, the ABC's of Cooperatives, and much, much, more! Roberta thrives on her 40 years of marketing experience. She and her much beloved fellow Farmer Champions throughout Cabot Creamery Co-op have spent the last thirty helping a nearly bankrupt, small farm family owned dairy cooperative become a national player. Thanks to award-winning cheese and indelible, award-winning, and occasionally, over-the-top trial campaigns. Roberta previously served as Vermont's first Marketing Director, a position created for her by Governor Kunin in 1984. Over her career, Roberta has accepted many awards on behalf of the Cabot farmers for design, promotions, and high-impact public relations programs, including the Tal Haussig Award - the highest individual award given by B Corps. Prior to moving to Vermont, Roberta ser

2019 Co-op Hall of Fame Inductee, Richard Ensweiler is interviewed on Everything Co-op on May 2, 2019. Vernon and Richard discuss his career, and the many contributions he has made to the cooperative movement. Richard Ensweiler's legendary, 50-year career in cooperative finance began in college, where he planned to score a career in basketball coaching. Instead, he took a summer job at State Central Credit Union. Soon, he was a management trainee headed for the top position at Harley Davidson Credit Union. In 1995, Richard joined the Texas Credit Union League. Today, it's the largest regional credit union trade association in the country, comprised of more than 540 credit unions that serve close to 9 million members. In 2013, Richard led an effort to merge the Texas Credit Union League with the Credit Union Association of Oklahoma and the Arkansas Credit Union League, forming today's Cornerstone Credit Union League. At the time, credit union league membership was dwindling and leagues were struggling to

Vernon interviews 2019 Co-op Hall of Fame Inductee, Anne Reynolds, Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Co-ops, retired. Vernon and Anne discuss her career, and the many contributions she has made to the cooperative movement. In 1996, Anne joined the staff of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, as the center was beginning to transfer its internationally renowned cooperative library online. Anne's role at the center transitioned over the years; by 2014, she was Executive Director. A fixture of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Cooperatives-the U.S.'s premier cooperative research center-Anne has contributed significantly to scholarship on cooperatives. Her career has not only spanned co-op sectors, but bridged gaps: between academics and business leaders, between strategic thinking and practical application and across deep ideological and cultural divides. Anne Reynolds retired in 2018 from her position as the Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin

2019 Co-op Hall of Fame Inductee, Richard Stammer is interviewed on Everything Co-op, a nationally broadcast radio show. Stammer is the former President and CEO of Agri-Mark Inc. and Cabot Creamery Cooperative. Vernon and Richard discuss his career, and the many contributions he has made to the cooperative movement. A leader in the U.S. dairy industry for half a century, Richard Stammer helped New England dairy cooperatives sidestep bankruptcy with a daring merger that today generates sales approaching $1 billion, and worked to shape public policies to protect the economic interests of the nation's diary farmers. Richard began his career as a tenured professor of Agricultural Economics at Rutgers University, but left to put theory into practice at a pivotal moment in the dairy industry. The 1980s and 90s were tough times for the milk industry in New England; family farms were shuttering and dairy co-ops were collapsing. With no value-added products, Agri-Mark was hit hard. At first, it seemed like Cabot

Kristen Barker, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative (CUCI, discusses how the Union Co-op has helped Cooperatives to Form, Grow and Transition from Employer to Employee owned businesses. Kristen Barker is a social entrepreneur. She is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative, and is a Co-Founder of 1worker1vote. She designs and leads participatory education events with English- and Spanish-speaking co-op workers, and helps worker-owners make their businesses more successful. Kristen also helps CUCI's design team determine the feasibility of potential co-op businesses, helps retiring business owners determine whether they can sell their business to their employees, and helps viable co-ops access the capital they need to leverage their ideas. Kristen has done groundbreaking work in adopting the Mondragon model to the U.S. context, and hosts delegations from around the country, including the participants in CUCI's semi-annual Union Co-op Symposium. Kris

2019 Co-op Hall of Fame Inductee, Terry Appleby is interviewed on March 28, 2019. Vernon and Terry discuss his career and many contributions to the cooperative movement. Mr. Appleby started his co-op career at Puget Consumer Co-op, in 1980. He worked in several areas at PCC, starting as a clerk, department and store management, merchandising director and general management, and also served two terms on the PCC board of directors during a period of rapid growth. After leaving PCC in 1992, he became the general manager of the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society and worked there until his retirement at the end of 2016. During his tenure at Hanover new approaches to interactions with local farmers led to significant benefits for farmers, the co-op and consumers. Three additional store locations were opened, an off-site food production facility was created, local products available to consumers dramatically increased, and revenues were increased from $15 million to $75 million. While at Hanover Mr. App