Happy Co-ops Day! The ICA and the UN celebrate International Co-op Day on the first Saturday in July. This year, the celebration landed on July 1st, 2023.
July Webinar: Trademark Basics for Rural Cooperative Businesses With Jason Lott
Please join us on Thursday, July 27th, 2023 at 10am PT/1pm ET for our July webinar on what all rural cooperatives should know about trademarks. The webinar will feature United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Managing Attorney for Trademarks Customer Outreach, Jason Lott. We’ll discuss what trademarks are, the benefits of federal trademark registration, and the basics of the registration process. We’ll also talk about why it’s so important for any business to select a trademark that is both federally registrable and legally protectable. We’ll close out the discussion with a question-and-answer session and direct you to free resources from the USPTO. Register here.
Members and subscribers can access the Guild’s webinar library, which includes links to recordings and slides from our past webinars.
Currently, CPG offers California CLE credit for qualifying webinars. Most CPG webinars can count as CLE credits in most US states. If you’d like to help us offer CLE credit in other states, please email Sarah Kaplan at the Webinar Committee: sarah@cuttingedgecounsel.com.
Introducing our new Guild Subscriber program
The Cooperative Professionals Guild focuses on supporting individuals working in co-op law and accounting, including licensed professionals, paraprofessionals, and students. We’ve gotten requests from other individuals in the co-op community who are interested in access to Guild resources and programming. In response, today we’re rolling out the Guild Subscriber program.
If you’re not eligible for Membership, you can now join the Guild as a Subscriber. Subscription includes access to most Guild resources and events and a Guild website account. Subscribers do not participate in Guild governance (of course, feedback is always welcome). Some Guild events and resources are limited to Members. Our subscriber program may change as we get more feedback.
Some Guild access is still available without a subscription: everyone is welcome to sign up for the Guild newsletter and the Guild community listserv, and everyone can join public events and webinars, without signing up for a subscription or membership.
Click here if you'd like to learn more about the program or join the Guild as a Subscriber. If you’d like to get in touch with the Membership Circle, you can email the team at membership@professionals.coop.
July 21st Community Coffee Chat with subscribers
This month we’re welcoming new subscribers to the Guild. Join our virtual community coffee chat for Members and Subscribers at 10am PT/1pm ET on Friday, July 21st, to get to know each other better over coffee (or another beverage).
Got a theme to propose, a tricky professional question or a co-op project you’d like to talk about, or a co-op community of practice you’d like to learn more about? Reach out to the Membership Circle by email at membership@professionals.coop.
What do you want to see at the 2023 CPG Conference? Send us your thoughts using this survey.
The Guild is looking forward to hosting its annual conference on November 2-4th in Chicago, Illinois. The conference will be hybrid, and will include the Guild’s annual member meeting.
The Guild is 100% Member-run. We would like to know if you would like to present at the conference, and if you have ideas and suggestions for conference sessions. Please provide input using this survey.
You can contact the Conference Circle at conference-circle@professionals.coop.
Job opportunities
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Key Figures is currently hiring for a Client Accounting Specialist. Key Figures is a fully remote worker-owned firm providing bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial management solutions to a nationwide client base, primarily composed of cooperatives and nonprofits. We are able to consider candidates from most US states. We offer competitive pay & benefits, flexible schedules, professional development, and the opportunity to become an owner after 1 year. https://www.keyfigures.coop/join-our-team.
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Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Manager for the Workplace Justice Lab@RU of the School of Management and Labor Relations. Listserv announcements add that “the salary range that is in the announcement is in the process of being revised higher. If you are interested in the position, please apply.” https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/203710.
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uxo architects is looking for a California co-op accountant. Email Ashton Hamm (ashton@uxouxouxo.com) for more information.
Community upcoming events
July 12: CreativeMornings and host Matthew Epperson are offering a free, virtual “FieldTrip” on Co-op Business Basics. Event description: Join us to learn more about what a co-op (n) is, why people start them, and some famous (and probably surprising) examples (with storytelling!). We’ll also cover some startup basics for folks looking to start a business, and who want to run it (more) democratically. Let’s share those risks and benefits! No previous business experience required. Register here.
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Aug. 20-30: International Centre for Co-operative Management and the J. Dobrila University of Pula (Croatia)’s international cooperative law summer school, Pula, Croatia. Link.
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Nov. 2-4: Cooperative Professionals Guild annual conference and member meeting, Chicago, IL.
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Nov. 29- Dec. 1: 4th International Forum of Cooperative Law, San Sebastian, Basque Country. Hybrid.
Participate in the Cooperative Professionals Guild
The Cooperative Professionals Guild is a growing network of co-op professionals created by us, for us. We’re currently volunteer-run. Here are some ways you can participate:
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Submit community listings for the next newsletter using this Google form;
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Send messages to the CPG network by emailing the CPG listserv at members@professionals.coop;
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Attend meetings or join governance circles. Circle members are also eligible to join the General Circle.
