Vernon Interviews Rod Kelsay, Executive Director of Mid America Cooperative Council

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 differences between the cooperative business world, and the corporate business world, Mid America Cooperative Education offers both member and non-members a Co-ops 101 class. For more information visit www.macc.coop.