Cooperative Members Approve Merger

On August 22, 2008 the voting members of Country Horizons Cooperative and Valders Cooperative approved the proposed merger of our cooperatives.  The merger is effective October 1, 2008 .

Each cooperative’s membership approved the merger with a majority vote taken through the mail and the member meeting held on August 13, 2008 .  Valders Cooperative members approved the merger with 75% voting in favor of the merger; and Country Horizons Cooperative members approved the merger with 68% voting for the merger.

The name of the company will be decided by the new Board of Directors.  A third party facilitator will work with the Board & Management as we go through a process of determining our name, image and communication for the newly formed Cooperative.  Robert Lowe has been named CEO/general manager of the combined company. Bob has more than 30 years of experience as a cooperative general manager, and is the current general manager of Country Horizons.

Lowe says members grasp the need for competitive buying and financing that only comes with combined resources. “Cooperatives are unique in that decisions like these are made as part of a collective group, the members and its board of directors. Management and employees are here to help member-owned organizations remain competitive and profitable so the cooperative can continue to return earnings to members.”

Our new Cooperative will be governed by a 9-person board.  Representation will be 5-directors from Country Horizons Cooperative and 4-directors from the Valders Cooperative.  The new Board of Directors will be Scott Anhalt, Elmer Dvorachek, Joe Holschbach, Joe Koenig, Sue Kracht, Brian Markwardt, Randy Meyer, Paul Sorenson and Bob Staudinger.

Our new Cooperatives combined operations will be 40 percent ag services, 30 percent retail-based, and 30 percent energy. Sales volume is projected to be over $85 million, annually, with 200 employees in 8 locations.

“We are excited to see our members embrace the cooperative spirit to merge these companies.  Our combined boards believed it was the right time to merge and I’m glad our members supported that vision,” says Joe Holschbach, Board Chair at Country Horizons Cooperative and producer in the Manitowoc area.

“Part of our past success has been around partnering with others,” says Paul Sorenson, Board Chair at Valders Cooperative, “and our two cooperatives have worked together on numerous ventures, including the successful CP Feeds. I’m pleased to be a part of bringing our organizations together.” Sorenson is a farmer from Valders.        

The stock or equity held by members in each cooperative will be transferred Oct. 1 at equal value for equity in the new Cooperative.  At that time, the cooperative’s board of directors will decide the policies regarding age retirements, and chronological revolvements.

Please feel free to talk with your Board members or management team if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions to improve our service.  We thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the past and look forward to continuing this relationship in the future.