Organizing and Conducting Cooperatives' Annual Meetings

Excerpts from the Report: The annual meeting is the highlight of a cooperative’s year. It is the time when management gives an accounting to members and when members-as joint owners-express their views to the manager, directors, and employees. Summed up, the annual meeting is-and should be viewed as-the major cooperative educational event of the year. Cooperative bylaws require an annual meeting. Every manager and director wants a good one. Successful meetings don’t just happen but must be planned and executed in detail. When this is accomplished, the annual meeting program can be important in stimulating goodwill and building membership understanding. This report offers helpful suggestions to cooperative managers and others responsible for annual meetings. It is directed primarily to associations that operate locally and that invite the entire membership to the meeting. Many suggestions, however, will also be useful to regional organizations whose annual meetings are attended by delegates