York University Faculty to Receive Special Recognition from Ontario Co-ops on Oct. 19

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">GUELPH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 12, 2011) - It had long been a goal of co-ops to have a university program in Ontario highlighting co-operative businesses, but it didn't become a reality until J.J. McMurtry and Brenda Gainer of York University got involved.

They will be thanked at the Annual Co-op Conference and Gala on Wed. Oct. 19 at the Burlington, Ont. Royal Botanical Gardens.

In partnership with the Ontario Co-operative Association, York University launched the Co-operative Management Certificate Program (http://s.coop/cmcprogram) in 2009. It will be accepting its third cohort this year, welcoming managers, executives and leaders in the co-operative sector who wish to broaden their understanding of co-operative enterprise management.

Although the co-op association had developed a series of electronic modules, Gainer who is Director of the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program at York University's Schulich School of Business cultivated support within her organization for the co-op certificate, found faculty, developed budgets, negotiated contracts and handled other details necessary for the program to run. McMurtry, course director, led curricula development.

"One of the happiest outcomes of this program is that not only have we created a superb professional program for future leaders of the co-op sector, but built on support for this program to integrate co-op content into some MBA courses," notes Gainer.

The program's content and presentation are unprecedented says certificate graduate Tanya Gracie, program manager of the 2012 UN International Year of Co-operatives for the Canadian Co-operative Association. She adds that the educators involved in the program, including J.J. McMurtry, a renowned co-operative researcher, "challenge and inspire students to critically explore and learn about the co-operative business model in a way that will strengthen co-operative enterprises for years to come."

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 Cooperatives in 2012. More than a billion people belong to co-operative organizations worldwide.

The Ontario co-operative movement is a vibrant part of the province's economy. Ontario has more than 1300 co-ops, with 1900 locations in 400 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.