Capital Structure of Cooperatives -The Basics - Session 1 of 3

Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Time: 02:00 PM ET / 01:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM MT / 11:00 AM PT [Prevailing Time]
Presenter(s): Mary Griffin NCBA, Colleen Leppert with Blue Hawk Distribution and Alistair Williamson with Equal Exchange
Learning Objectives:
Registrants will be introduced to the concept of cooperative capital and the types of capital held by co-ops. Also, they will learn the nature of co-op equity, the relationship between co-op equity and co-op members, and how co-ops use their distribution of capital methods to operate their business.
Field of Study: Finance
Program Level: Basic
CPE Credit: 1 Credit Hour
Delivery Method: Group Internet-based
Prerequisite(s): No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course.

Course Description

The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), in cooperation with the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives (NSAC), is conducting a three-part series of live, web-oriented educational seminars on the capital structure of cooperatives. The goal is to provide a three-part program that will educate co-op newcomers as well as seasoned employees, board members and members about how cooperatives hold and distribute their capital and why it matters.

Discussion will cover different cooperative structures and how they differ from investor owned entities. Representatives from two or three industry sectors will explain how they hold and distribute capital in a simple, visual way. They will also discuss how co-ops often have to rely on debt to finance expansion and the need for co-ops to attract more sources of capital and better manage the capital they have. Speakers will provide an overview for all cooperatives and describe how two types of cooperatives - worker and purchasing - treat their capital.

Presenter and Moderator Bios
Speakers will include: (bios to follow)

• Mary Grifffin, Senior Policy Advisor, NCBA in Washington DC
• Alistair Williamson, Investment Manager, Equal Exchange in Portland OR
• Colleen Leppert, Vice President, Blue Hawk Distribution

Mary Griffin is Senior Policy Advisor for National Cooperative Business Association. She manages the Cooperative Finance and Tax Council (CF&TC), which identifies and addresses finance, tax and legal issues that have cross-sector impact on cooperatives. She advocates before the US and international financial accounting standards boards for standards that address the cooperative form of business and is helping to coordinate the international cooperative response to the move to global accounting standards.

Griffin also advocates on behalf of cooperatives before Congress and works to secure more funds for cooperative development in the US. Prior to coming to NCBA, Griffin was with Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, where she represented the interests of consumers on various financial services issues. She has also worked as a legal aid attorney and an appellate attorney in the Solicitor’s Office at Department of Labor. Griffin received her law degree from Temple University and her LLM from George Washington University.

Alistair Williamson is the Capital Coordinator and Board Chair at Equal Exchange, a 100-person, fair-trade, coffee & chocolate worker cooperative. A Scot, born in Africa, Alistair now lives and works in the US. He spent 20 years in high technology, including starting and running a small venture capital backed business, before deciding to do something more useful.

He's now responsible for raising the capital Equal Exchange needs to keep growing. Equal Exchange has $5m in outside equity from over 300 investors and $700,000 in internal equity from our worker owners.

Colleen Leppert is the Vice President for BLUE HAWK. She graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Computer Information Systems from Arizona State University. After college she joined Arthur Andersen in their Computer Consulting Division and spent ten years developing customized software applications for utility companies and municipal governments. For the last ten years, she has been developing custom software and managing data for new distribution purchasing cooperatives. Colleen lives in Arizona with her two sons.

Cost
$56.00 for NSAC Members / $70.00 for Non-Members

Delivery System

  • All programs are delivered using the Zoom platform.
  • Confirmations will include log-in instructions.
  • Participants are able to participate using any device with an Internet connect (if the device does not have speakers, the participant can also dial-in) or they can participate with audio only by dialing in.
  • All registrants will receive a link to the CLN’s recording by email within 48 business hours of event’s conclusion.
  • There will be assistance available to help with technical and connectivity issues up to 10 minutes prior to the start of the presentation.

Registration

All registration is done on-line and each guest must provide their name and email address to participate. All NSAC members may register for free. Non-members may register for a nominal fee.

Refund Policy

NSAC will not issue refunds for CLNs. If a registrant is unable to participate in the CLN and provides notification to info@nsacoop.org 48 hours prior to the session, a credit will be provided for a future CLN. Alert the NSAC staff member monitoring the CLN if technical difficulties are encountered and technical support will be provided to eliminate problems with future CLNs.

Additional Information

Live participation is required for CPE credit and polling questions must be answered to document your active participation. All registrants will receive an email following the session with links to the slides and/or handouts, and a link to the CLN recording (unless otherwise stated). If you are unable to participate in the live session, you can still watch the recorded session, but you will not be eligible for CPE credits. Those eligible for credits will receive their certificate by email with 7 business days.

For more information regarding NSAC CLNs or administrative policies such as complaint and refund, contact the NSAC Headquarters, 7946 Clyo Road, Suite A, Centerville, OH 45459, 937-222-6707, or info@nsacoop.org.

What is NSAC's Cooperative Learning Network?
The NSAC Cooperative Learning Network is a live, interactive webinar, and you can attend from any location with internet and/or telephone access. NSAC members can attend an unlimited number of CLNs at no charge!

Each Cooperative Learning Network will have one or more speakers who are recognized experts on the topic. CLNs typically include a Q&A session where participants can ask questions live or by chat. No advance preparation or prerequisites are required, unless otherwise stated in the course information. Attendees are able to download copies of the slides and/or handouts and are provided a link to view the recording (unless the description states the session will not be recorded). These tools help continue your learning experience after the session.

CPE Credits
The National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives (NSAC) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor (#103068) of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

Delivery Method: Group-Internet Based.

Why NSAC Cooperative Learning Networks?

Fast.
No wasted time. Get right to the heart of the matter in a course designed to easily fit into your busy schedule.

Convenient.
No travel. No time out of the office. Listen and follow along from the comfort and convenience of your desk, device or conference room.

Easy.
A device with an Internet connection is all you need. If your device does not have sound capabilities, the ability to dial in from a telephone is available.

Ideal for multiple attendees.
Use a speakerphone and projector/monitor and invite as many people as you want to participate - at no extra cost to you.

Affordable.
NSAC Cooperative Learning Networks are free for members and available to non members at a fraction of the cost of travel and attendance fees for other high-priced conferences or seminars.