History of the ACE Awards and List of Outstanding Educators
Three original awards were created by ACE founders to recognize extraordinary work in co-op education: Award of Merit, Organization Award recognizing a cooperative that raised the bar in education, and a Youth Award, later renamed in the seventies in memory of William Hlushko of the Co-operative College of Canada and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. The spirit of these awards continues today. Awards recognizing mentorship, innovation and promotion of democratic practices have been added to acknowledge other ways educators pass along co-op values. In the last 25 years alone, more than 120 individuals and organizations have received top honors from their peers.
The John Logue ACE Award
This honor recognizes an individual or organization whose educational programs, technical assistance or research acts as a catalyst for change by creating innovative cooperatives that promote a democratic work environment and economic sustainability for people and communities. The award was launched in 2010 in memory of John Logue of Kent State University.
2017 Community Wealth Building Network of Metro Denver
2015 Bruce Reynolds, USDA
2014 Margaret Lund, cooperative developer, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2013 William S. Patrie, Common Enterprise Development Corporation, Mandan, North Dakota
2011 Monica Adeler, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba

Brett Fairbairn of the University of Saskatchewan says William Nelson, recently retired president of the CHS Foundation, is the Higgs boson of cooperative education. Fairbairn commends Nelson for his uncanny ability to connect people who share goals and “make sure our work has weight and heft.” Nelson received two prestigious recognitions, one each from CASC and ACE at the June 2016 CASC-ACE Conference in Calgary.
William J. Nelson Contribution to ACE Award
This award recognizes those who add significant value to the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE). The honor was renamed in 2016. It was previously known as “Outstanding Contribution to ACE by an Organization.”
2017 Bill Stevenson, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Cooperative Development Center
2016 Hazel Corcoran, Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation, Calgary, Alberta
2015 UMass Co-operative Enterprise Collaborative, Amherst, Massachusetts
2014 Cooperation Texas, Austin
2013 Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2011 University of Winnipeg, Manitoba
2010 Ohio Employee Ownership Center, Cleveland, Ohio
2009 Wedge Community Co-op, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2008 la Coop fédérée du Québec, Montreal, Quebec
2007 Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
2006 Cooperativa de Seguros de Vida, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005 Ralph K. Morris Foundation – Minneapolis, Minnesota
2004 Cooperativa de Seguros Multiples de Puerto Rico – San Juan
2003 CHS Cooperatives Foundation, Minnesota
2002 CCA – Ontario Region
2001 The Cooperative Foundation, Middleton, Wisconsin
2000 Credit Union National Association, Washington, DC
1999 Saskatchewan Wheat Pool
1998 Northwest Cooperative Federation, Washington
1997 Canadian Co-operative Association and GROWMARK, Ontario
1996 Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union and Central Purchasing Services, Minnesota
1995 National Cooperative Business Association, Washington D.C.
1994 Canadian Co-operative Association, Ottawa, Ontario
Outstanding Contribution to Cooperative Education and Training
This award recognizes an individual or organization for their continuing contribution to educating about the the benefits, impact, and principles of cooperatives through academic curriculum, publications, marketing campaigns, member communications, and leadership training programs.
2017 Luc Morin, Conseil de la coopération de l’Ontario
2015 Darryl Reed, York University, Toronto, Ontario
2014 Lee Egerstrom, journalist, Maplewood, Minnesota
2013 Jesús Andrés Aranda, Puerto Rico, and Dan Campbell, USDA, Washington, D.C.
2012 Desjardins Group, Montreal, Quebec
2011 Arctic Co-operatives Limited, Winnipeg
2010 Audrey Malan, CooperationWorks!, Wyoming
2009 Amy Fredregill, Cooperative Network, St. Paul, Minnesota
2008 Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Montpelier, Vermont
2007 Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
2006 Margaret Bau – USDA, RBS/Cooperative Service, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
2005 Bill Patrie – Dakotas Cooperative Development Center, North Dakota
2004 Daniel Côté – Université de Montréal, Quebec
2003 Larry Swalheim – Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
2002 Ian MacPherson – Victoria, British Columbia
2001 Emil Mushrush – McPherson, Kansas
2000 Frank Blackburn – Oakdale, Minnesota
1999 Karen Zimbelman – Arcata, California
1998 University of California, Davis – Center for Cooperatives
1997 North Dakota Farmers Union
1996 NCFC – Washington Experience for Teachers
1995 Vancity Savings Credit Union – Vancouver, British Columbia
Other winners
Randy Torgerson – U.S. Department of Agriculture
Fred Pierce – United Co-operatives of Ontario
Bill Black – Texas A & M University
Olaf Turnbull – Co-operative College of Canada
Walter Jacoby – American Institute of Cooperation
William Hlushko Award for Young Cooperative Educators
This award was established in 1978 in memory of an ACE board member from the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. William was a cooperative educator who passed away at age 48 in 1976. Many of William Hlushko’s ideas endure.
2017 Nat Locke, USACYC
2016 Seth Leon, Alberta Community and Co-operative Association
2015 The Toolbox for Education and Social Action (TESA), Amherst, Massachusetts; and Emily M. Lippold Cheney, USA Cooperative Youth Council
2014 Erin Hancock, Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
2013 Katie Campbell, Aynah (originating in Iowa)
2012 Kerr Smith, Ontario Co-operative Association, Guelph, Ontario
2011 José Julián Ramírez Ruiz, Liga de Cooperativas de Puerto Rico
2010 Jen Heneberry, Ontario Co-operative Association, Guelph, Ontario
2009 Tanya Gracie, Canadian Co-operative Association, Ottawa, Ontario
2008 Fiona Duguid, Co-operatives Secretariat, Ottawa, Ontario
2007 Amy Meyer, Missouri Farmers Union and the Family Farm Opportunity Center, Jefferson City, Missouri
2006 Tom Pierson – Federation of Worker-owned Cooperatives, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2005 Leslie Shuler – Member Services, CHS/Land O’ Lakes, Minnesota
2004 Jorge Sousa – University of Toronto, Ontario
2003 Isabelle St. Pierre – Montréal, Quebec
2002 Tina Van Loon – Burlington, Ontario
2001 Chris Charbonneau – Chateau Student Housing Cooperative, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2000 Scott Jax – Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union, Minnesota
1999 Cathy Statz – Wisconsin Farmers Union
1998 Angela Splinter – Canadian Co-operative Association, Ottawa, Ontario
1997 Jim Smith – National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
1996 Crystal Smithmyer – Pennsylvania Council for Co-ops
1995 Krista Lee Hicks – Weaver Street Market, North Carolina
1994 Roger Herman – Canadian Co-op Association, Saskatchewan
1993 Cathy L. Chamberlain – United Co-operatives of Ontario, Mississauga, Ontario
Other winners
Lynne McKim – Sherwood Credit Union (the first award), Regina, Saskatchewan
William Nelson – University of Minnesota, Waseca
Reginald J. Cressman ACE Award Recognizing Commitment to Staff Development
This award recognizes an ACE Member who demonstrates outstanding commitment to staff development and is named after long-time cooperator Reginald J. Cressman. The award was announced in 1993 at a recognition dinner for Cressman near Guelph, Ontario.
2015 Dennis Bolling, United Producers, Inc., Ohio
2014 Colette Lebel, La Coop fédérée, Quebec
2011 Cindy Coker, SEED Winnipeg Inc., Manitoba
2010 Bob Cohen, Cooperative Development Center, Kent State University, Ohio
2009 William J. Nelson, CHS Foundation, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota,
2008 Jim Hoyt, GROWMARK, Inc., Bloomington, Illinois
2007 Tom Webb – Master of Management – Co-operatives and Credit Unions, St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2006 Chuck Snyder – National Cooperative Bank, Washington, DC
2005 Louis Doering – Twin City Co-ops Federal Credit Union, Minnesota
2004 Brett Fairbairn – University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
2003 Member Services, CHS Cooperatives – Land O’ Lakes – Saint Paul, Minnesota
2002 CUMIS Group – Burlington, Ontario
2001 Gary Ellis, Riverton Community Housing, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2000 Jean Jantzen, Cenex Harvest States, Minnesota
1999 Rod Nilsestuen, Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives
1998 Dr. Robert Cropp – University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
1997 Saskatchewan Centre for Co-operatives and University of Missouri – Columbia
1996 Rick Wills – GROWMARK, Bloomington, Illinois
Professional Contribution by an ACE Member*
2009 David P. Swanson, chair of the Agribusiness, Rural Electric and Cooperatives practice group at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2008 Michel Lafleur – Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec
2007 Roger Herman – Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
2006 James Montalvo Laracuente – Cooperativa de Seguros Multiples, San Jaun, Puerto Rico
2005 Dixie Watts Reaves – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
2004 Colette Lebel – Coopérative Fédérée de Québec, Montreal
2003 Bob Cohen – Columbus, Ohio
2002 Louis Doering – Saint Paul, Minnesota
2001 Dr. Carmen Lopez – Medicoop, Puerto Rico
2000 Anne Reynolds – University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
1999 Randy Dove – Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan
1998 Land O’ Lakes Young Producer Program, Minnesota
1997 Cathy L. Chamberlain – GROWMARK, Mississauga, Ontario
1996 Allen Gerber – Minnesota Association of Cooperatives
1995 Greg Elliot – Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan
1994 Bruce Odeen – Accelerated Genetics, Baraboo, Wisconsin
Other winners
Frank Groves – University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
Mary Jean McGrath – University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
Reg Cressman – United Cooperatives of Ontario, Mississauga
Harold Love – University of Kentucky, Lexington
Gladys Scott – Hyde Park Cooperative Society, Chicago, Illinois
Father George Topshee – St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia
ACE Education Program Award*
2009 La Coop fédérée — “Programme de formation des élus,” Montreal, Quebec
2008 “Cooperative Discussion Course,” USA
2007 Center for Cooperative Studies and Training (CENECOOP R.L.), San Jose, Costa Rica
2006 Mid America Cooperative Council, Indianapolis, Indiana
2005 Ontario Co-operative Association, Guelph, Ontario
2004 Cooperativa de Seguros de Vida, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2003 Cooperativa de Seguros Multiples, “Lola and Pinino Education Program,” San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002 CCA – Ontario Region, “Co-op Young Leaders Program,” Guelph, Ontario
2001 Cooperativa de Seguros de Vida, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Canadian Co-operative Association – Ontario, Guelph, Ontario
1999 National Cooperative Bank, Arlington, Virginia
1998 Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, “Kris Olsen Traveling Cooperative Institute,” Minneapolis, Minnesota
1997 Cooperative Development Institute and Saint Francis Xavier University, “Marketing Our Cooperative Advantage,” Nova Scotia
1996 Canadian Co-operative Association, “Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders,” Ottawa, Ontario
1995 The Co-operators – Member Education Program, Guelph, Ontario
* These awards were combined with the Outstanding Contribution to Cooperative Education and Training award in 2010.
If you are a recipient of an ACE award and we haven’t captured your information, please let us know at info@ace.coop.