Cooperative Models of Inspiration
by Shazia Manus
Alongside Iowa Credit Union League President & CEO Pat Jury and TMG Senior Advisor Jeff Russell, I recently attended the 2012 International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec, Canada. It was exhilarating to be among the more than 2,800 attendees from across the globe, all coming together under one roof to share ideas about advancing the cooperative movement.
Creating greater awareness of the cooperative business model was a big part of discussions happening throughout the summit. As the United Nations has declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives, there was a spirit of camaraderie and excitement around the global opportunity to shine a spotlight on the movement.
Consensus was reached around one crucial point – for more global citizens to recognize the value and success of cooperatives, we much encourage participation from the academic community. Today’s field trips, text books and lectures rarely take advantage of cooperative models to teach our children, teens and college students. Without this diversity of thought, how can we expect the next generation of leaders to evoke the cooperative spirit as they build businesses with the power to change the world?
