2026 April

The Advantages and Potential of Manager on Contract

By Garland McQueen|2026-04-28T17:56:04-04:00April 28th, 2026|

Columinate’s Manager on Contract program offers interim general management that supports co-ops in transition. During an period of management transition, quite often it is more advantageous for a co-op to use the services of a Manager on Contract than to feel like they are forced into a quick decision. While some co-ops have a solid bench of potential management candidates, others do not have this luxury. A Manager on Contract (MOC) will allow the board an adequate timeframe to carry out a proper search for a qualified candidate.

Connecting with Columinate Consultants at CCMA

By Kelly Kristl|2026-04-21T16:54:33-04:00April 14th, 2026|

Columinate will have a large contingent of members who will be in attendance, many of them presenting or co-presenting as part of the program—including these CBLD consultants: Jade Barker, Hether Jonna, Michael Healy, Molly Phipps, Laura King, and Molly Snell-Larch. Other Columinate members delivering presentations at CCMA are Jeanie Wells, Sarah Dahl, and Wynston Estis. Also attending the conference from Columinate (as of this writing): Vernon Oakes, Rose Marie Klee, and James Morrell. They are eager to hear from other cooperators before or during the conference—so feel free to reach out to them.

Co-op Cafe: Conversations That Matter

By Kelly Kristl|2026-04-06T17:15:40-04:00April 3rd, 2026|

At its origin, says Mark Goehring, “we saw an opportunity to provide facilitated conversations on topics that matter, at the local, regional and national levels. “We wanted to make something extraordinary and highly engaging.” Rather than a format of presenters and receivers of information, Columinate adopted the World Cafe participatory model and acknowledged as much in the Cafe presentations. Co-op Cafe is a registered trademark by Columinate.

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