Cooperatives Build a Better World—And Paulsen Is Proud to Build Alongside Them

By Marcus Squier, CEO, Paulsen

October marks National Cooperative Month, and at Paulsen, this isn't just a calendar observance—it's a celebration of the organizations that form the backbone of rural America and the cooperative principles that guide our own work.

For more than seven decades, we've had the privilege of partnering with farmer-owned cooperatives, electric cooperatives, and Farm Credit associations that embody the cooperative difference: businesses built by and for their members, committed to service over profit maximization, and deeply rooted in the communities they serve.

This year's theme, "Cooperatives Build a Better World," resonates powerfully with what we witness every day. From the grain elevator serving multi-generational farm families to the rural electric cooperative powering small-town America to the Farm Credit association financing the next generation of agricultural producers, cooperatives are creating value that extends far beyond balance sheets.

Yet building a better world has never been more challenging. Today's cooperatives face pressures that test the very model that makes them unique: intense competition from investor-owned firms, rapid consolidation, demands for technology investment, workforce recruitment challenges, and the constant need to demonstrate relevance to members who have more choices than ever before.

The cooperative way—democratic governance, member ownership, commitment to community—requires cooperatives to move differently than their competitors. They must prove their value proposition clearly and consistently, showing members why cooperative ownership matters in an era of marketplace complexity.

At Paulsen, we understand these challenges because we've worked inside them. Our team has guided cooperatives through mergers, helped rebrand unified organizations, developed strategic communications that strengthen member engagement, and created campaigns that position cooperatives not as alternatives, but as the preferred choice.

These organizations don't just serve rural America—they strengthen it. They invest locally, govern democratically, and measure success by member value, not shareholder returns.
This Cooperative Month, we're proud to support cooperatives in building a better, more equitable world. When cooperatives thrive, rural communities thrive—and that's a world worth building.