National Cooperative Business Association

National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International
Cooperative Association
Industry Cooperative Business Association, International Development
Founded 1916
Headquarters Washington, D.C., United States
Area served
 United States
Key people
 Michael Beall, president and CEO
Number of employees
 650
Website ncba.coop

Founded in 1916 as the Cooperative League of the United States of America, the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) is a United States membership organization for cooperatives, businesses that are jointly-owned and democratically-controlled.

The league's founding president was medical doctor James Peter Warbasse, who served in that role until 1941.[1] Thereafter, the league's presidents included Murray B. Lincoln, former U.S. Congressman Jerry Voorhis, Stanley Dreyer, Glenn Anderson, Morgan Williams, Bob Scherer, Russell C. Notar, Paul Hazen, and currently Michael V. Beall.

In its first few decades, it focused on consumer cooperation, and published a monthly magazine, Co-operation.

History

In 1922, it originated and trademarked the twin pines symbol used to represent North American cooperatives. "The pine tree is an ancient symbol of endurance and immortality. The two pines represent mutual cooperation—people helping people."[2]

In 2000 the group successfully lobbied the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to establish a new top-level domain exclusively for business cooperatives. The domain, .coop, became active in 2002.

NCBA members include some well-known United States consumer brands, such as Ace Hardware, True Value, Florida's Natural, Cabot Creamery, Organic Valley, and Land O'Lakes.

References

  1. ↑ "Dr. James Peter Warbasse (1866–1957)". Cooperative Hall of Fame. Washington DC: Cooperative Development Foundation. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  2. ↑ Zeuli, Kimberly. "What is a Cooperative?". United States Department of Agricultural Service. Retrieved December 12, 2014.

External links