The international Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) is accepting new members and membership renewals for 2023. “Many types of cooperatives have one or more members on a communication team to organize customer and employee communication efforts,” says Candace Croft, CCA Board of Directors president. “CCA specializes in offering professional development for this specific group.”
As an association, CCA is committed to helping members excel in communication -- from writing, photography, and editing, to video, layout, and design. “We emphasize ideas and strategies aimed at making communications more successful for cooperatives,” added Croft.
CCA’s major in-person event is their annual Cooperative Communicators Association Institute scheduled for June 4-6 in Portland, Maine. They also have four educational webinars per year, a 24-hour workshop, a communications contest, and a Master Cooperative Communicator designation program.
The association is organized into connector groups based on each members’ areas of interest or expertise. “Connector groups include small-shop communication; photography and videography; design and branding; social media, digital communication, and website; writing and publications; internal communication and employee engagement; external communication with the government, media, and community; and event and meeting planning,” says Anne Moore, CCA Board of Directors. “Members are welcome to join one or multiple groups. These groups stay connected through the CCA members’ app, year-round, and meet online a few times per year to discuss updates and changes in each area of interest.”
New-member registration and current membership renewal is all conducted online at www.communicators.coop. Individual and organization member fees are listed. During registration, there’s an option to donate to CCA’s Sullivan Education Fund. “All cooperatives occasionally don’t have the budget to pay CCA-event registration and travel fees for communicators,” said Cliff Dolbeare, CCA Board of Directors secretary-treasurer. “That’s why we’re excited the Sullivan Education Fund exists to provide scholarships, for communicators with limited funding, to attend in-person CCA events.”
CCA exists to improve the effectiveness of all cooperative communicators; advance professional standards and exchange facts, research, techniques, and opinions among cooperative communicators; and conduct an annual institute and other programs suitable to meeting the purpose of the association. Board members for the 2022-2023 business year, and their home cooperatives: Candace Croft, president, West Florida Electric Co-op Association, Inc., Graceville, Fla.; Michelle Geans, vice president, Baldwin EMC, Summerdale, Ala.; Cliff Dolbeare, secretary-treasurer, GROWMARK, Inc., Bloomington, Ill.; Adam Buckallew, MFA Oil Company, Columbia, Mo.; Kelly Jimenez, Carroll Electric Membership Corporation, Carrollton, Ga.; Jennie Lacey, Flint Energies, Warner Robins, Ga.; Dori Lichty, CentralStar Cooperative, Waupun, Wis.; and Anne Moore, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Green Bay, Wis. Visit www.communicators.coop for more information.
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