Please join us for this seminar in the Dean’s Speaker Series, sponsored by the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the Edwards School of Business.

Concentra and the Resurgence of the Financial Co-operative Model

Ken Kosolofski
President and Chief Executive Officer, Concentra Financial

With the trend for today’s financial institutions to move to a more customer-centric business model, and with impending changes in federal legislation for credit unions, Concentra Financial believes its strategies are in line for success. Join Ken Kosolofski, President and CEO of Concentra, for a presentation about the state of today’s co-operative financial system and how operating under this model affords Concentra the opportunity to highlight the value it offers to Canada’s credit union community and in turn, grow its own business.

Ken’s career began almost thirty years ago, when he received his Bachelor of Commerce and chartered accountant designation. He held senior financial positions with health and government organizations before joining the credit union system, working first with Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services and then SaskCentral, where he served as CFO. In 2010, Ken was appointed CEO of Concentra. Eager to carry on the work of developing its business model and growing the value Concentra delivers to credit unions, his enthusiasm and commitment continually energize the Concentra team. Ken is a prairie boy and proud of his Saskatchewan roots. A believer in the power of building communities, he actively participates in a number of community organizations, including the Regina Food Bank. He and his wife, Darlene, have raised three children, all of whom continue to live in Regina.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Room 18, Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan
4:00 – 5:30 pm

Reception to Follow

The following are some of the most recent titles added to our library.

To borrow any of these titles, please visit the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives Library or email the librarian.

Search our library catalogue here.

• The Resilience Imperative : cooperative transitions to a steady-state economy, by Mike Lewis (Gabriola Island, BC : New Society Publishers, 2012) / HC79 .E5L49 2012
• Privilege and Policy : a history of community clinics in Saskatchewan (revised ed), by Stan Rands, edited by Gregory P. Marchildon and Catherine Leviten-Reid (Regina: CPRC Press, 2012) / RA983 .A4S27 2012
• Essentials of Transdisciplinary Research : using problem-centered methodologies, by Patricia Leavy (Walnut Creek, CA : Left Coast Press, c2011) H61 .L485 2011
• Together : the rituals, pleasures, and politics of cooperation, by Richard Sennett (New Haven, CT : Yale University Press, 2012) / HD 2963 .S46 2012

• Social Economy : communities, economies and solidarity in Atlantic Canada, edited by Sonja Novkovic and Leslie Brown (Sydney, NS : Cape Breton University Press, 2012) / HD2769.2 .C3S63 2012
• Capital and the Debt Trap : learning from cooperatives in the global crisis, by Claudia B. Sâanchez Bajo (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) / HG4027.4 S26 2011
• Weavers of Dreams : founders of the modern co-operative movement, by David J. Thompson (Davis, CA: Centre for Cooperatives, University of California, 2012) / HD 3448 .T467 2012
• Businesses with a Difference : balancing the social and the economic, edited by Laurie Mook, Jack Quarter, and Sherida Ryan (Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 2012) HD2769.2 .C3B85 2012

• The Hidden Alternative : co-operative values, past, present and future, edited by Anthony Webster, Linda Shaw, John K. Walton, Alyson Brown, and David Stewart (Manchester, UK : Manchester University Press, 2011) / HD2963 .H54 2011
• Empire and Co-operation : how the British Empire used co-operatives in its development strategies, 1900-1970, by Rita Rhodes (Edinburgh, Scotland : John Donald, 2012) / HC259 .R563 2012
• The Joy of Stats: A Short Guide to Introductory Statistics in the Social Sciences (2nd ed), by Roberta Garner (North York, ON : University of Toronto Press, 2010) / HA29 .G22 2010
• Choosing a Sustainable Future : ideas and inspiration from Ithaca, NY, by Liz Walker (Gabriola Island, BC : New Society Publishers, c2010) / HC79 .E5W2678 2010

Even though our Social Economy research project officially wound up at the end of February 2012, there were still a number of final reports to be completed. For more details about the overall project and the individual research studies, please see the project website at Linking, Learning, Leveraging: Social Enterprises, Knowledgeable Economies & Sustainable Communities.  We hope that the information in these reports will assist individuals, organizations, communities, and policy makers in helping their own communities to thrive and flourish.

The following is an annotated list of final reports that have been published in the past year:

• Building a Federal Policy Framework and Program in Support of Community Economic Development by Kirsten Bernas and Brendan Reimer (CL5-27-MB) | Final Report (pdf)
  • The report provides an overview and analysis of Manitoba’s CED Policy Framework and Neighbourhoods Alive! program. The report concludes by recommending how a CED Policy Framework and accompanying Neighbourhood Revitalization Program might be developed and implemented at the federal government level.
• Building Community: Creating Social and Economic Well-Being: A Conference Reflecting on Co-operative Strategies and Experiences, 2010. Mark McCulloch | Final Report (pdf)
  • On May 19, 2010, the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives hosted representatives from leading co-operative organisations in Canada’s retail, finance, health-care, and insurance sectors. The conference focussed on how co-operatives help establish vibrant communities.
• Community-Based Regional Food Distribution Initiatives: A Cross-Case Analysis by Colin Ray Anderson and Stéphane Marc McLachlan (CL1-24-MB) |Final Report (pdf)
  • Community-based food distribution initiatives are difficult yet rewarding. In this study we explored the strategies used by CRFIs in their efforts to upscale both the social and economic impact of localized alternative food networks. The research involved interviews, video documentation, site visits and four comparative case studies.
• Community Conversations about the Good Food Junction Co-operative by Emily Hurd (CL5-20-SK) | Final Report (pdf)
  • The primary goal of this project was to provide CHEP, the Good Food Junction Co-operative board, and the Station 20 West Development Corporation board of directors with insight on where Core community members were shopping and present and to ascertain the likelihood of them making the switch to the Good Food Junction Co-operative grocery store.
• Culture, Creativity, and the Arts: Achieving Community Resilience and Sustainability Through the Arts in Sault Ste. Marie by Jude Ortiz and Gayle Broad (CL5-01-NO) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This research values the economic impact of the arts in Sault Ste. Marie and makes recommendations as to how more economic activity might be generated through strategic development of the arts, providing the City with a competitive advantage in attracting new businesses, retaining skilled labour and investment and providing wide-spread community benefits.
• An Economic Analysis of Microcredit Lending by Haotao Wu (CL2-03) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This study explores a number of the issues around the provision of micro-loans by credit unions and the agencies with which they work. It also examines the advantages and disadvantages of investor-owned firm such as chartered banks versus credit unions in providing microcredit.
• The Economic Impact of Credit Unions on Rural Communities by Fortunate Mavenga (CL4-11) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This study contributes to the growing literature on the role of social economy enterprises on rural vitality, by examining the relationship between credit union activity and community population growth in rural Canada.
• Empowerment through Co-operation: Disability Inclusion via Multistakeholder Co-operative Development by Kama Soles (CL1-21) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This report explores the potential of multi-stakeholder co-operatives to provide new opportunities for empowerment and community development for those in the disability community, helping them to overcome disadvantage and marginalization. The research will help shape policies needed to foster social inclusion to empower people with disabilities and build disability solidarity through co-operative development.
• Enabling Policy Environments for Co-operative Development: A Comparative Experience by Monica Juarez Adler (CL5-05-MB) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This study aims to identify policies, structures, and financing mechanisms that can inform the development of appropriate models for Manitoba as well as support sector-controlled and self-sustaining co-operative development organizations. The enabling environments for co-op development in Spain, Italy, and Quebec are critically analyzed.
• Individualized Funding: A Framework for Effective Implementation by M. Dozar, D. Gallant, J. Hannah, E. Hurd, J. Newberry, K. Pike, and B. Salisbury (CL5-21-SK) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This research will help families, government and people with disabilities understand what Individualized Funding is, why it is important, and what needs to be done to make it work.
• The Management of Co-operatives: Developing a Postsecondary Course by Leezann Freed-Lobchuk, Vera Goussaert, Michal Benarroch, Monica Juarez Adler (CL1-27-MB) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This research presents a course outline, syllabus, and reading package for a course in the Management of Co-operatives for the University of Winnipeg’s Faculty of Business and Economics. The course was offered for the first time at the University of Winnipeg in January 2011.
• Mapping Social Capital in a  Network of Community Development Organizations by Jason Heit (CL4-05-SK) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This research has highlighted a number of recommendations for policy makers, community economic developers/practitioners, and researchers.
• Participatory Action Research: Challenges, Complications, and Opportunities by Patricia W. Elliott (CL1-05-SK) |Final Report (pdf)
  • This paper presents some of the basic history and principles of participatory action research (PAR), including common challenges and complications.
• A Place to Learn, Work, and Heal : An Evaluation of Crocus Co-operative by Julia Bidonde and Catherine Leviten-Reid (CL4-07-SK) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This report presents and evaluation of Crocus Co-operative, a nonprofit organization for individuals with mental health disabilities located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The purpose of the evaluation is to explore whether the organization supports the mental health of its members and to assess whether Crocus’s programs, services, activities, and structures could be improved.
• South Bay Park Rangers Employment Project For Persons Living with a Disability: A Case Study in Individual Empowerment and Community Interdependence by Isobel M. Findlay, Julia Bidonde, Maria Basulado, and Alyssa McMurtry (CL5-15-SK) | Final Report (pdf)
  • This case study tells the story of the South Bay Park Rangers employment program for people with disabilities in the Northern Saskatchewan Village of Île-à-la-Crosse. This report discusses the situation in Canada for people with disabilities, issues facing Aboriginal people with disabilities, and particular issues in the North. The report aims to help people understand the impacts of the Park Rangers program on the people involved, their families, caregivers, and their community. It also suggests ways to build on the program’s strengths to make it more effective and a model for other communities.
• Understanding and Promoting Effective Partnerships for CED: A Case Study of SEED Winnipeg’s Partnerships by Gaelene Askeland and Kirit Patel (CL3-06-MB) | Final Report (pdf)
  • The results of this research report may be helpful to a variety of organizations that are considering entering into a partnership or assessing the partnerships they currently have. This research shows that success results from good planning, appropriate due diligence prior to engaging in partnerships, making good choices in partners, and putting in the effort and resources required to make the relationships work well.

View the complete list of final reports here.

You might find the annotated subject guide to projects helpful.

There will be more final reports completed in 2013 and they will be announced here when we are able to make them available.

Guest Speaker

Wednesday, January 16, 7:00 pm

Dr. Lou Hammond Ketilson
Director, Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

“Building Community: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”

With a track record that includes economic viability and social responsibility, co-operatives and credit unions have made strong contributions to communities historically and offer great potential for contributions in the future.

Please join us for this seminar in the Dean’s Speaker Series, sponsored by the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the Edwards School of Business.

Counting on the Difference: Credit Unions and the Co-operative Model

Keith Nixon
Chief Executive Officer, SaskCentral

This presentation will look at the role of credit unions in Saskatchewan and the ways that credit unions, as financial co-operatives, support social values and differ from traditional for-profit businesses.

Keith Nixon began employment with SaskCentral in 1987 as Junior Analyst, Data Processing Micro Development, following with various progressive positions held with Saskatchewan credit unions. In 2002, Nixon accepted the position of Executive Vice-President, Corporate and Community Affairs and Corporate Secretary, in which he provided overall leadership and strategic direction to management and support of SaskCentral’s democratic systems, structure and processes ensuring effective, efficient and affordable corporate and credit union system governance. In 2012, Nixon stepped in as interim CEO of SaskCentral and in 2013 became CEO. In addition to employment responsibilities with SaskCentral, Nixon serves on volunteer boards of the Ignite Adult Learning Corporation Foundation and Sherwood Co-operative Association Limited.

Monday, January 21, 2013
Room 12, Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan
4:00 – 5:15 pm

Reception to Follow

Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season
and throughout the new year!

CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF CO-OPERATIVES

Please join us for this seminar in the Dean’s Speaker Series, sponsored by the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the Edwards School of Business.

The Co-operative Advantage

Scott Banda
Chief Executive Officer, Federated Co-operatives Limited

Scott will discuss the transformational changes occurring at Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) and some of the strategies that organizations in the Co-operative Retailing System are using to compete in the competitive marketplace of western Canada. In the context of FCL’s business, he will also address some of the challenges and opportunities of the co-operative business model.

Scott Banda joined FLC in 2002 as the Legal Affairs Manager and has been CEO since February 2010. With an honours BA in history and a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan, he has a values-based, collaborative, and forward-focused approach to doing business. He and his leadership team are championing an aggressive growth strategy and implementing new approaches to people management, business processes, technology, and branding. Scott is a passionate advocate of FCL and its member-owners, recognizing that co-ops are much stronger working together as a federation rather than trying to achieve things alone.

Monday, December 3, 2012
Room 18, Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan
4:00 – 5:15 pm

Reception to Follow

November 1– 3 was a time of learning and building. The conference was an important occasion for the sharing of innovations, insights, and big ideas, and for engagement across geographic, subsector, occupational, and cultural borders. From the first evening with keynote speaker John Ralston Saul, the energy level was high and the enthusiasm contagious. Close to 300 co-operators attended presentations by some three-dozen, well-grounded speakers drawn from academia and the co-operative sector. Between sessions, the halls buzzed with meeting and greeting, with reflection and planning. The final program can be viewed at www.buildabetterwest.com.

We are grateful to everyone who participated, especially those who travelled to Saskatoon from elsewhere in Saskatchewan and from other provinces and the United States. We wish to acknowledge all of the perspectives, efforts, and resources that contributed to making this a truly exciting co-operative event. We are compiling the ideas generated at the Co-operative World Café and considering next steps. If you would like to provide additional feedback, comments, or suggestions, please contact me or any other member of the co-ordinating committee.

In the coming weeks please visit our website to access the presentations made during the conference.

– Michael Gertler, Chair, Conference Coordinating Committee
michael.gertler@usask.ca
(306) 966-8501

Enjoy some images from the conference. Photo credits to Scott Kim.

Saskatchewan Credit Unions: It’s All in the Numbers by Anne Lazurko (SaskBusiness, October/November 2012, pp 8-15).  See a pdf of the issue at the SaskBusiness website or buy a copy in stores now.

This article sheds light on credit unions in Saskatchewan today, their advantages, challenges, and how increased regulation of financial institutions since the economic crisis of 2008 and changing legislation are shaping credit unions today as they deal with growth, technology, and increasing costs while remaining dedicated to serving their members/owners and local communities. Several key players in Saskatchewan credit unions were interviewed for the article.

Photo credit: Stuart Kasdorf Photographics

Lou Hammond Ketilson, director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives at the University of Saskatchewan is quoted:

Credit unions are more relevant today than ever … Through the economic crisis, what was really striking, and what had long term impact, was that the credit unions were lending money at a time when the banks had stopped. Credit unions didn’t open themselves up to so much risk. Member control means a different set of values is driving management decisions. While a need for efficiencies is recognized, there is also a sense of responsibility to the communities and members they serve.

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