In this episode of All Things Co-op, Kevin speaks with Paul Hazen, executive director of the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) and Cooperative Development Foundation hall of fame inductee. Drawing on a lifetime of cooperative development work, Paul shares his insights on the importance of cooperatives in rural communities, how he helped his church start the Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative, how to achieve bipartisan support for co-ops in congress, national vs. local policies, and more.

About our guest: Paul Hazen has held a number positions in the cooperative sector: executive director of Kickapoo Valley Association, a shared services cooperative of nine municipalities, executive director of Rural Housing Inc. in Madison, WI, where he developed co-ops and affordable housing projects in rural communities. In the late 80s, Paul joined the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA), where he raised the profile of cooperatives through advancing domestic co-op policy and programs and greatly expanding funding for international cooperative development, more than tripling its portfolio from $8 million to over $30 million. 

A few things you might know owe their existence to Paul’s work, such as the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Grant program, and the.coop domain. Since joining the Overseas Cooperative Development Council (ODCD), Paul has led the effort that has resulted in a 50% increase in Congressional funding to $18.5 million for the Cooperative Development Program. At OCDC, Paul has fostered more collaboration among international cooperative developers, including networks of cooperatives in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. 

To learn more: https://ocdc.coop/