Tune in to WOL 1450 AM or listen online at Tune-in Radio on July 23 at 10:30 am for Everything Co-op. This week, host Vernon Oakes sits down with Paul Hazen, Executive Director of the Overseas Cooperative Development Council, to discuss the role of cooperatives in community and economic development in a post-COVID-19 world.
Throughout his career, Hazen has championed the cooperative business model. He helped establish federal legislation promoting rural co-op development, formed a national network of co-op development centers and initiated national research into the impact of co-ops on the U.S. economy. One of his most-recent initiatives with OCDC is the formation of its Research Group, which works to research, formulate and share effective strategies for the development, performance and growth of cooperatives in developing countries.
Hazen is also one of the founders of dotCoop, the top-level domain for cooperatives around the world. He serves on the boards of the National Cooperative Bank, Capital Impact Partners and the Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative. Past board service includes the International Cooperative Alliance, Consumer Federation of American, Cooperative Development Foundation, Cooperative Business International and OCDC.