- CDS tangibly engaged 131 cooperatives, 33 start-ups and 8 agricultural businesses in FY22 from rural and urban communities.
- Supported incorporation of two new agricultural cooperatives.
- Helped six co-ops secure $890,000 in public and foundation grant funding.
- Received over $500,000 in charitable contributions to directly benefit over 20 co-ops.
The annual meeting was held virtually on November 29, 2022.
An Annual Report with additional detail will be available in January 2023
Election of Board Members
CDS has a 12-member board, with members serving 3-year terms.
Congrats to these six who filled this year’s open seats.
Ann Fedorchak, Senior Vice President – Specialist Lending, National Cooperative Bank
Gary Sloan, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Food & Agribusiness, BMO Harris Bank
Sadie Frerichs, dairy producer and member of the Land O’Lakes board of directors
Rick Kievits, Director of Cooperative Development, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives
Daniel Ramos Haaz, controller of the National Co-op Grocer
Jack Huerter, attorney at Dorsey Whitney
This group joins current board members:
Alison Deelstra; Collie Graddick; Jen McCubbin; Amy Fields; Michael Minnihan; Marty Walsh. More info on our website.
Executive Committee Elected
Chair: Alison Deelstra, Regional Vice President, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation; Vice-Chair: Collie Graddick, Pesticide & Fertilizer Management, MN Department of Agriculture; Secretary: Amy Fields, Co-op Resource Manager, National Co+op Grocers; Treasurer: Marty Walsh, Economic Development and Key Accounts Manager, People’s Energy Cooperative
Longtime Board Member Dave Swanson Retires
After eleven years of service, board member Dave Swanson will be retiring from the board as of January 1, 2023. Swanson has been an integral member of the board, bringing his long-standing experience as a cooperative attorney.
We thank Dave for his dedicated service to CDS!
FY22 Audit Accepted
The board accepted the audit for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, presented by Jeff Osvog of Johnson Block CPAs. Auditors provided an unmodified (“clean”) audit opinion on the combined books of Cooperative Development Services and its 501(c)3 charitable subsidiary, Cooperative Development Fund of CDS. On a combined basis, we achieved an increase in net assets without restrictions of $39,000.
Cooperative Development Services is incorporated as a non-stock membership cooperative under WI Chapter 185. Mirroring the intent of the co-op community when our predecessor organization was formed in 1985, the board is drawn from and morally accountable to the cooperative community of the Upper Midwest. The Annual Meeting was held virtually on November 29, 2022, followed by a regular business meeting.