As the founder of The Cooperative Way, a consulting firm dedicated to assisting all types of cooperative businesses succeed, Adam Schwartz is a passionate advocate for cooperatives. The Cooperative Way is a strategic partner with CDS Consulting Co-op, a shared services cooperative of 35 cooperative consultants.
Adam provides strategic guidance (for employees, boards, and members) for organizations seeking to utilize cooperative principles and values as a primary force in serving their members and the community. He works with co-ops in all sectors from startups to very mature co-ops. In March of 2017 he spent 3 weeks in Madagascar working to help start a new vanilla farmer’s co-op.
He is an adjunct professor at the University of Mary Washington – College of Business in Fredericksburg, Virginia teaching about the cooperative business model. He teaches at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s executive training program about how to create a cooperative culture in your organization. He has guest lectured at numerous universities including Princeton, Ball State and University of California- Davis.
Prior to founding The Cooperative Way, Adam served as vice president for public affairs and member services from 2005-2011 for the National Cooperative Business Association. From 2001-2005 Adam was Vice President of External Affairs for the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative. From 1992-2001, Adam was a senior legislative representative for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
He is a frequent speaker and author on cooperative business. He writes a monthly column #Gocoop-The Future of Co-ops in NRECA’s RE Magazine. Adam has appeared on MSNBC and CNN to promote cooperatives as the better business model for economic and social change.
