NCGA CEO Robynn Shrader Named President of Consumer Cooperatives Worldwide

news bodyIOWA CITY, IA (November 21, 2013) – Today, National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) is pleased to congratulate Robynn Shrader, chief executive officer of NCGA, who was elected...

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IOWA CITY, IA (November 21, 2013) – Today, National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) is pleased to congratulate Robynn Shrader, chief executive officer of NCGA, who was elected president of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW). CCW is a sectoral organization within the International Cooperative Alliance that provides a forum for the discussion, encourages the exchange of valuable experiences, and disseminates information among its members.

“It is an honor to have been elected president of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide,” said Robynn Shrader, chief executive officer for NCGA. “The organization plays a vital role in connecting cooperative businesses around the world, and I’m excited to continue this important work.”

In her new role as president of the organization, Shrader will work to raise greater awareness of consumer cooperatives and to support the organization’s guiding philosophies. CCW and its members believe that consumers have a right to a reasonable standard of nutrition, clothing and housing; adequate standards of safety and a healthy environment; unadulterated merchandise at fair prices with reasonable variety and choice; access to information on goods and education on consumer topics; and an influence in economy through democratic participation.

Shrader’s 2014 strategic priorities include compilation and analysis of environmental impact data for consumer cooperatives, further investigation of co-op to co-op trade internationally, and education of consumer cooperatives about emerging technologies to enhance their service to owners.

“The International Co-operative Alliance is delighted to have someone of Robynn Shrader’s experience and expertise assuming leadership of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide at this particularly exciting time for the global co-operative movement,” said Chuck Gould, Director-General of the International Cooperative Alliance. “The achievement of the aggressive goals set forth in our Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade will require dynamic and focused leadership in all sectors. We have watched Robynn’s accomplishments at NCGA and welcome her drive and vision to our global agenda.”

In addition to her work at NCGA and her new role at CCW, Shrader works directly with a variety of industry organizations and foundations that serve the natural, organic and cooperative communities. Shrader represents food co-ops within the National Organic Coalition, a national sustainable agriculture coalition dedicated to the preservation of organics, family farms, rural development and animal welfare. She also serves on the Boards of the National Cooperative Bank, CoopMetrics and Organic Voices/Just Label It.

Shrader has more than 20 years of experience in cooperative marketing, brand management and organizational development. Prior to her role as the first employee of NCGA, she was vice president of marketing for Burgess Enterprises in Seattle, Wash. and coffee category manager for Frontier Natural Products Co-op. Her accomplishments include the development of several successful, cause-related brands in the organic and specialty coffee industry.

About NCGA

National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), founded in 1999, is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCGA helps unify food co-ops in order to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. Our 136 member and associate co-ops operate nearly 180 storefronts in 37 states with combined annual sales over $1.5 billion. NCGA is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence in recognition of the application of cooperative values and principles to drive cooperative and business success. In 2012, NCGA became a Certified B Corporation, a rigorous certification that recognizes business standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. For a map of NCGA member and associate co-ops, visit www.ncga.coop. To learn more about co-ops, visit www.strongertogether.coop.

About Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide

Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) is a sectoral organization of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), which brings together consumer co-operatives within the ICA membership.

CCW has the basic philosophy that the consumer has a right to a reasonable standard of nutrition, clothing and housing; adequate standards of safety and a healthy environment; unadulterated merchandise at fair prices with reasonable variety and choice; access to information on goods and to education on consumer topics; and that s/he should have an influence in economy through democratic participation.

In accordance with its philosophy, CCW strives to disseminate information among its members and provide a forum for the discussion and exchange of valuable experiences. It also promotes business between its members. See more at: http://www.ccw.coop/en/.


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