Mid America Co-op Director Development Program
Gain insights on essential pillars of cooperative governance.
December 7 & 8, 2026 in Tiffin, Ohio!
Designed for new directors building their cooperative leadership foundation, experienced directors ready to elevate, emerging leaders like associate directors or young cooperators, and key cooperative employees supporting governance.
Register by November 25th to invest in stronger governance for your cooperative.
Registration
Registration Fee: $550 per person (includes both days)
To register multiple attendees from a single organization, register each person separately or contact Ann Luther at luther.111@osu.edu or 740-289-1952.
Current Agenda
*Agenda is subject to change.
December 7, 2026
A Director’s Role in Modern Co-ops - Explore the core responsibilities of effective directors, discover how to leverage your unique leadership style in the boardroom, and gain practical insights from a retired CEO and board chair on what it takes to govern with impact.
9 a.m. – Check In Open and Breakfast Refreshments Available
9:30 a.m. – Welcome
9:35 a.m. – "The Co-op Value Proposition in the 21st Century" - Rocky Weber, Nebraska Cooperative Council
11 a.m. – "Member to Leader: Duties and Tools for Co-op Directors" - Hannah Scott, JD, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Center for Cooperatives at Ohio State
What is expected from a director when they join the board? You’ve likely heard that directors have fiduciary duties as they lead their co-op – but what does that actually mean? This session will help directors understand their job when they step in the boardroom, including exploring fiduciary duties in the co-op context, getting familiar with tools boards use to meet their responsibilities, and a director's role in relation to members and management.
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 p.m. – "Leveraging your Individual Problem-Solving Style for Successful Teamwork" - Jessica Burns, OSU Leadership Center, Ohio State University Extension
Teamwork can be hard! Have you ever been frustrated with a team member and how they approach a task? Why they problem-solve differently than you? Why some people think “inside the box” and others can’t even “see the box”? The Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) is a way to look at an individual’s problem-solving style and creativity. This training will enhance your understanding of team dynamics in problem-solving and increase group cohesion, effectiveness, and team building.
3:15 p.m. – Effective Boards: A View from the CEO and Board Chair - With Doug Miller, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives
Cooperative boards work as a team with the CEO to lead their co-op. Hear from experienced cooperators about navigating the relationship between the board and CEO to develop an effective partnership.
4:15 p.m. – Closing Comments
5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. - Optional Dinner and Connections - Location to be announced.
December 8, 2026
A Director’s Role in Financial Planning & Oversight - Build a strong foundation in cooperative finance—explore key concepts, apply best practices for income distribution and equity management, and strengthen your ability to confidently assess your co-op’s financial health.
7:30 a.m. – Check In Open and Breakfast Refreshments Available
8:00 a.m. – Welcome
8:15 a.m. – "Macroeconomic and Business Outlook" - Ben Ayers, Nationwide Insurance
Where is the economy headed in 2027? What emerging economic issues will cooperatives need to navigate? This session will build directors’ situational awareness of the U.S. economy to support their strategic thinking in the boardroom.
9:15 a.m. – "Income Distribution, Equity Management, and the Board’s Role in Co-op Financial Planning" - Mike Fleetwood & Eric Bennett, Blue & Co., LLC
Financial oversight and planning is a key responsibility of a cooperative board. This session will introduce directors to fundamental concepts in cooperative financial structures and emerging issues in financial planning while developing their understanding of the board’s role in financial planning and oversight.
12:15 p.m. – Lunch
1 p.m. – "Financial Analysis: Understanding your Co-op’s Key Financial Indicators" - Wes Millard, CoBank
Hear from a cooperative lender about how to assess your co-op’s financial health while developing your understanding of the board’s role in financial planning and oversight.
2 p.m. – End and Safe Travels
Location Details & Travel Info
The 2026 Mid America Co-op Director Development Program will be at the Tiffin, Ohio, office of AgCredit at 2500 W. Market Street, Tiffin, Ohio 44883. We thank AgCredit for their generous support of the program.
Complimentary parking is available.
Attendees must make lodging arrangements independently.
Additional lodging details are forthcoming.
The nearest airports are the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (TOL) (~45 miles) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) (~75 miles).
Meet the Experts
Ben Ayers is a Senior Economist with Nationwide Economics, driving key forecasting and economic analysis functions. Ben works with leaders at Nationwide to assess the impact of the changing economic environment on the company’s performance and strategic planning. He authors commentary pieces on economic topics and contributes regularly to the Economic Insights by Nationwide podcast. Ben is also a frequent presenter to internal groups and external partners of Nationwide. He has been quoted in multiple media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, MarketWatch, Reuters, NPR’s Marketplace, Barron’s, and The Associated Press. Prior to joining Nationwide in August 2011, Ben served as an Assistant Vice President at Citi Hedge Fund Services North America. Ben holds a Master of Science in Economics from The Ohio State University, specializing in applied economic analysis. Prior to this degree, he earned a BSBA from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University. He is a member of the National Association for Business Economics.
Eric Bennett has over 25 years’ experience in public accounting. Before coming to Blue & Co., LLC, Eric started his career in the tax department of a large regional CPA firm. He graduated with his Masters Degree in accounting from Indiana University after achieving an undergraduate degree from Indiana State University. The majority of Eric’s experience has been serving large closely-held companies in a variety of industries and the firm’s agricultural cooperative client base. Eric is responsible for managing the firm’s cooperative tax practice and regularly consults with these clients on tax planning, patronage planning, mergers and acquisitions, and other tax-related matters.
Jessica is an Extension Educator in Vinton County, Ohio, covering the program areas of Community Development and Agriculture & Natural Resources. She is a life-long resident of Hocking County, Ohio and is very proud to be a product of the Appalachian region. She is developing many partnerships and finding innovative ways to support the citizens of Vinton County. Her current work in Vinton County is targeting the areas of workforce and leadership development, food access, and youth education in natural resources. Prior to her county position, Jessica worked on the Columbus campus for the Pesticide Safety Education Program, a state-wide program within OSU Extension. Jessica holds a B.S. in Environmental and Plant Biology from Ohio University and Masters in Plant Health Management from The Ohio State University.
Mike Fleetwood has over 35 years’ experience in public accounting. Mike has spent over 25 years serving the firm’s agricultural cooperative client base and serves as the engagement director for all of these entities. Mike has consulted with cooperatives on a range of issues including equity management, trend and peer analysis, mergers and acquisitions, related entity structures, patronage, and other issues. Mike is a member of the Mississippi Valley Chapter of the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives and has spoken at regional events as well as Mid-America Cooperative Council events. Mike serves as the Director-in-Charge of the firm’s Southern Indiana practice unit and as the firm’s Director-in-Charge of Assurance Services.
Wes Millard serves as Regional Vice President at CoBank, where he leads the Louisville, Kentucky and Enfield, Connecticut offices. His team supports agribusiness customers across a twenty two-state region spanning most of the Eastern US. Prior to his current role, Wes led CoBank’s customer derivatives business and oversaw its capital stress testing initiative, helping strengthen the bank’s financial resilience. Wes brings a diverse background to agribusiness finance. He serves on the board of directors for the Agricultural Retailers Association, contributing strategic insight to the industry. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Wes began his career as an intelligence officer on active duty before transitioning into consulting. In that role, he advised publicly and privately held real estate firms on managing interest rate and currency risk. He holds an MBA from American Military University and continues his military service as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves with the 353rd Civil Affairs Command.
Mr. Doug Miller, Vice President, Statewide Services for Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives has been part of the utility industry for 30 years. On behalf of Ohio’s electric cooperatives, Doug oversees safety training and loss prevention, lineman development training, legislative and government affairs, marketing, economic development, communications, and director and employee training. Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives represent 25 electric cooperatives that serve more the 380,000 homes and businesses in 77 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Hannah Scott is the program director of the CFAES Center for Cooperatives based at Ohio State University South Centers where she leads the creation and implementation of programs and assistance to foster cooperative and rural business. Hannah is passionate about cooperative opportunities in agriculture and rural communities having worked with a variety of agricultural producers who have explored or established co-op enterprises, provided training for cooperative employees and leaders, and led initiatives to educate and build awareness around the cooperative business model and rural business development, including co-authoring cooperative outreach and legal education materials. Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree from Duke University, master’s degree from The Ohio State University, and law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She holds a Certified Business Advisor Certificate through Kent State University/Ohio Small Business Development Centers.
Forthcoming.