Howard Brodsky, the recent recipient of Business New Hampshire’s Business Person of the Decade Award, said, “It should be about we and not me.”
I could not be happier that this outstanding cooperative leader is considered the best in the New Hampshire business community.
Howard is the Chairman and Co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. CCA is the original Carpet One Cooperative that Howard co-founded as a small business owner – a small floor covering store in Manchester, N.H. It’s now a co-op that ties together 15 co-op enterprises.
One of those co-ops is the Community Management Cooperative of which ROC USA is a founding Member. This is how we are able to provide discounts on things like Sherwin Williams and access to things like cable service contract support and a community app. We could not offer these without the co-op.
Check out this quick video on the community app – it’s really cool and could help keep your Members stay informed and engaged!
I am proud to serve on the National Cooperative Business Association Board of Directors with Howard and share honors as inductees to the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Over the years, he’s provided me much appreciated advice.
Attendees of the 2018 and 2019 ROC Leadership Institutes at Southern New Hampshire University will know Howard from his keynote addresses. He was very popular! You can always watch 2018’s address online.
Howard makes this point: One of the reasons we all need to get out the word about co-ops is because consumers don’t know about co-ops but when they do – they want to do business with co-ops! The evidence presented on this chart is compelling.
The takeaway for us is clear: Get out and talk about resident and cooperative ownership. Co-ops need to attract those who value local ownership and local control. The long-term health of your community will be better if you inform current Members and attract new Members who are interested in ownership and community. Don’t keep your ownership under a rock – let your region know! (Have you seen the new co-op websites? They’re great! Let us know if you’re interested in one.)
When you talk about the values and purpose of your community – interestingly – you attract and compel more of those values in support of your co-op’s purpose.
There’s so much to say about Howard that I won’t go on and let you watch a video or two. Just know, he’s the real deal. A stand-up guy. A worldwide leader in cooperative ownership and expanding the wealth building and security and inclusion. We are lucky to have him in our corner!