CDF and the Bowers Fund manage the awards for cooperative excellence that are presented at CCMA. These awards, which recognize excellence and outstanding achievement, are Cooperative Service, Cooperative Innovation and Achievement, Cooperative Excellence (also known as Retailer of the Year), and Cooperative Board Service. This is the food co-op’s opportunity to honor colleagues and cooperatives for their achievements and accomplishments. Nominations are made by the food co-op community. If you know of a food co-op or someone in the food co-op community who deserves an award, please nominate them! Nominations for the 2013 awards will be due in April 21st, 2013.   Download the application in WORD Format or PDF Format.  Forms should be accompanied by letters of support.

The Cooperative Milestone Awards are also presented at CCMA to cooperatives that have reached significant anniversaries. If you are reaching such a milestone this year, contact Ann Hoyt at aahoyt@wisc.edu.

Past award winners are:

Cooperative Service: In recognition of dedicated leadership and exemplary service by an individual to a cooperative or cooperatives.

2012 – Carolee Colter, for her 30 years of developing food co-op managers so they are able to create the positive workplace culture that allows staff to flourish.

2011 – Amber and Nicole Sallaberry, for their establishment of the first food co-op in Nevada, along with a farm distribution center.

2010 – Nancy Casady, for her combination of compassion and business sense and her attitude that “it’s about so much more than the store”

2009 – Dan Nordley, for his 35 years of support for individual co-ops and a national network

2008 – Margaret Lund, being the innovative driving force behind the NCDF, creating access to capital for cooperatives that might not otherwise have found it, and building NCDF into the premier cooperative development loan fund with assets of over $11 million

2007 – Kris Nelson, for her vision and leadership to grow and diversify Lakewinds into one of the largest natural food co-ops in the Midwest

2006 – Michelle Schry, for her work as a co-op manager and NCGA board member and for her dedication to the food co-op sector and her colleagues in it

2005 – Holly Jarvis, for a career of leadership and dedicated service to the food co-op sector, as an innovative and successful co-op manager, and as board chair of NCGA throughout its transition

2004 – Gail Graham, was cited for her success in improving profitability and leading expansion and relocation efforts at three co-ops in the Minneapolis area: The Wedge, Seward Co-op and Mississippi Market

2003 – Paul Cultrera, for twenty years of dedicated leadership among co-ops across the country

2003 – Alex Gyori, for twenty years of dedicated leadership among co-ops across the country

2002 – Bob Davis, for his outstanding service providing many years of dedicated leadership to cooperatives in Greenbelt and other communities

2002 – Bill Gessner, for his creative and complete dedication to the growth of consumer cooperatives over many years of service

2001 – Pam Mehnert, for her positive influence on cooperatives nationwide

2000 – Dan Foley, for his leadership and visionary contributions to the local, regional, and national food cooperative community

1999 – Marilyn Scholl, for demonstrated commitment to the growth and development of consumer co-ops in over 20 years of service

1998 – Nick Masullo, for 22 years of service to the cooperative movement. • 1997 – Karl Kruger, for over 40 years of service to the cooperative movement

1996 – Theresa Steig, for dedicated leadership and exemplary service to food cooperatives and the entire U.S. cooperative movement

1995 – David J. Thompson, for his dedicated leadership and exemplary service to the national and international cooperative movements

1994 – Karen Zimbelman, for her dedicated leadership to consumer cooperatives across the country

1993 – Terry Simonette, for his efforts to build a viable cooperative food distribution system in the U.S.

Cooperative Innovation and Achievement: In recognition of the innovative application of the cooperative business structure to an enterprise or an innovative program or service.

2009 – La Montanita Cooperative for creating a highly successful co-op system in New Mexico

2008 – Sacramento Natural Food Co-op for pulling together to increase efficiency in their core store, increase sales 10%, and retire debt while maintaining positive cash flow, thus saving the co-op

2006 – Davis Food Co-op for its Carrots in the Classroom program

2005 – Tak Tang for his vision, technical skills, and leadership in the development of key components of an IT infrastructure for co-op operations

2004 – Stuart Reid for his commitment to cooperatives and for his efforts to build business relationships between food co-ops and farmer co-ops in developing countries

2003 – Community Food Co-op for its successful retail operation that is deeply embedded in its community

2002 – Corrine Shindelar for her vision and leadership at numerous cooperative organizations and for creating innovative programs that have resulted in strong, vibrant consumer co-ops

2001 – Weaver Street Market for its innovative worker and consumer-owned structure and community outreach

2000 – Walden Swanson for the development of the innovative and practical CoCoFist program

1999 – Federation of Ohio Rover Cooperatives for the achievement of a merger with Northeast Cooperatives

1997 – Northeast Cooperative for the Management on Contract program

1996 – New Pioneer Co-op for 25 years of inspiration and innovation

1995 – David Barry for devoting 21 years to the nurturing of food co-ops in New England

1994 – Midwest Cooperative Grocers Association for its commitment to strengthening cooperatives, improving service to their members, and promoting the principle of “cooperation among cooperatives”

1993 – North Coast Cooperative for incorporating an innovative recycling program with the co-op and providing community leadership in recycling education

Cooperative Excellence (Retailer of the Year): In recognition of a retail cooperative that has made significant progress in meeting the needs of members through growth in net sales and earnings, initiation of new and innovative programs, and expansion of member services.

2012 – Ashland Food Co-op

2012 – Putney Food Co-op

2011 – Seward Grocery Co-op & Deli

2010 – Wheatsville Co-op (Austin, TX)

2009 – Valley Natural Foods (Burnsville, MN)

2008 – Onion River Co-op/City Market (Burlington, VT)

2007 – Ozark Natural Foods (Fayetteville, AR)

2006 – Whole Foods (Duluth, MN)

2004 – Community Mercantile Cooperative

2003 – Williamson (Willy) Street Co-op

2001 – Hanover Consumers Cooperative (Hanover, NH)

2000 – Co-opportunity Consumers Cooperative (Santa Monica, CA)

1999 – Lakewinds Natural Foods Co-op

1998 – Puget Consumers’ Co-op

1997 – Outpost Natural Foods Co-op (Milwaukee, WI)

1996 – Brattleboro Food Co-op (Brattleboro, VT)

1995 – Weavers Way Cooperative Association (Philadelphia, PA)

1994 – Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative (Sacramento, CA)

1993 – Wedge Community Food Co-op (Minneapolis, MN)

Cooperative Board Service: In recognition of outstanding dedication and leadership.

2012 – Richard Ellsworth, for his steady, wise, creative, questioning, open, supportive, and inspiring leadership.

2012 – Leslie Watson, for her leadership from start-up to a model food co-op that serves its community.

2009 – Gail Bartlett, in recognition of her wisdom and leadership at Blue Hill Cooperative

2008 – Martha Whitman, in recognition of her years in management and Board service and as Board President, La Montanita Co-op in Albuquerque, NM

2006 – Bentley Lein, in recognition of six years of leadership as member and President of the board of People’s Food Co-op (LaCrosse) and as a mentor to other board presidents

2006 – Robert Noble, in recognition of eight years of leadership as member and President of the board of Weavers Way Cooperative, during which he helped re-establish the Cooperative as a vibrant and healthy organization that is an asset to its community

2005 – Beth Skinner, in recognition of eight years of leadership and dedicated service as President of the Board of Berkshire Co-op Market