Co-op Circle Happy Hour! CGRI Session
September 23, 2022, 12-1 p.m. CT
Online
Want to learn more about the Cooperative Governance Research Initiative Survey Findings? Join UWCC executive director Courtney Berner at National Cooperatives Business Association's Co-op Circle Happy Hour. She will present results from UWCC's Cooperative Governance Research Initiative. Participants will be able to interact and discuss the findings with co-op peers. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
Agricultural Cooperative Director Training 2023
UWCC and Dr. Michael Boland of the University of Minnesota are developing an in person training designed for agriculture and farm supply cooperative directors. Session topics will include strategic thinking; managing through impending CEO or senior staff retirements;workforce recruitment and alternative staffing; managing with fewer employees; and cooperative capital. These small group trainings will include a mix of panel discussions and small group activities to maximize engagement.
Webinar: Employee Ownership Pushes Innovation at Isthmus Engineering and Manufacturing
While the U.S. manufacturing sector has shrunk over the past 40 years, the fully worker-owned Isthmus Engineering & Manufacturing (IEM) cooperative has thrived in the automated manufacturing industry. IEM competes in the customized automated manufacturing machinery industry, serving customers who need solutions to complex automation challenges. IEM’s team of engineers and fabricators takes projects from concept development through proof of process to on-site installation. The co-op works in various industries such as medical and pharmaceutical, consumer products, light industrial, automotive, and emerging markets such as solar.
In this webinar, we will explore how engaging employees as owners allows IEM to foster a highly entrepreneurial and participatory work culture. Worker-owner and engineer, Ole Olson, will share how IEM approaches innovation as an organization and how democratic decision-making benefits the cooperative to be more innovative. He will touch on topics such as employee retention, equitable profit sharing, value-driven project selection, and collaborative work processes.
This session will provide information about campus resources for cooperative business development and is open to anyone interested including UW-Madison faculty, staff, and students
Farmer Cooperatives Conference
November 29-30, 2022
Minneapolis, MN
The 25th Annual Farmer Cooperatives Conference will be held in person for the first time in three years! We are thrilled to return to Minneapolis on November 29-30, 2022. The Farmer Cooperatives Conference will highlight the latest strategic thinking on current cooperative issues and trends. Connect with and learn from your fellow agricultural cooperative peers.