Michel Chenier Honored at Ontario Co-op Gala

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/12/2011 - 1:50pm

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">GUELPH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 12, 2011) - A 2011 Ontario Distinguished Co-operator Michel Chénier made his mark first in Quebec finance then Ontario agriculture.

Chénier, president and CEO of Eastern Ontario agricultural co-operative La Coopérative Agricole d'Embrun Ltée., will be honored at the Annual Co-op Conference and Gala organized by the Ontario Co-operative Association (On Co-op) on Oct. 19 at the Burlington, Ont. Royal Botanical Gardens.

He became the co-op's top manager in 1997 helping double its sales, increasing membership by 25 per cent and returning close to $2 million to members in patronage. His skills as an administrator and accountant and experience with the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec and its predecessors provided the co-operative with the strength it was missing, says Robert Gratton, Embrun Co-op board chairman.

He also raised the co-operative's profile with other co-operatives throughout North America, and has garnered the co-operative recognition for excellence from GROWMARK, Inc. Additionally, he maintains involvement in other co-operative organizations as Le Conseil de la coopération de l'Ontario, Association of Cooperative Educators and Canadian Co-operative Association. Chénier has also contributed to the growth of the local and regional communities and co-operatives across the world. "He is dedicated to co-operation among co-operatives and to the ambassadorship it requires," notes Maurice Godard, board secretary.

Ten other leaders are also celebrated at the awards banquet, bringing the total number of honorees to 110 since 1999, the inception of the Co-op Spirit Award. The banquet is the culmination of a daylong conference that draws up to 250 co-operative and credit union directors, employees, and supporters from across the province. Its theme is "Gearing Up," and is one of the first events in Canada to launch the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives in 2012.

More than a billion people belong to co-operative organizations worldwide and will be celebrating the International Year. Ontario has more than 1300 co-ops, with 1900 locations in 400 Ontario communities. Ontario co-operatives employ more than 15,500 people and are supported by a network of 49,000 volunteers.

On Co-op, based in Guelph, Ont., is a resource and common voice for Ontario credit unions and co-operatives, with a mission to lead, cultivate and connect the Ontario co-operative movement. Visit www.ontario.coop to learn more.