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by Lynn Snyder

Former OFBF Executive Vice President C. William Swank has been elected to the national Cooperative Hall of Fame. He will be inducted at a ceremony April 24.

Swank was employed at Farm Bureau for 40 years and served as executive vice president from 1968 to 1996. During his tenure, he continuously promoted cooperative ideals and encouraged others to embrace them.

"I've always championed [cooperatives]. They fit the needs of some people in a unique way," he said.

Cooperatives usually provide a service where there was none, such as the Rural Electric Cooperative, or provide goods and services at a reasonable cost, according to Swank. He helped found Ohio Agricultural Marketing Association, and helped organize the Ohio Corn Growers Association, Ohio Soybean Association and the OFBF Self-Help Gas program.

In addition, he helped found and served as the first chairman of Cooperative Business International, which provides international trade opportunities to U.S. agricultural cooperatives.

"Cooperatives need advocates," Swank said. "Cooperatives need an education program to remind people of what they are and why they are. They are easily misunderstood," he said.

Induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the cooperative community. "I was surprised by the award," he said. "The award is a recognition of Ohio Farm Bureau's support of cooperatives, more than Bill Swank's support. The organization has been a supporter of cooperatives almost since its inception. It has never wavered in that. I did my best to carry on the tradition and keep it going," he said.

The Cooperative Hall of Fame is administered by the Cooperative Development Foundation, a national, nonprofit foundation serving the entire U.S. cooperative community. It promotes self-help and mutual aid in community, economic and social development through cooperatives and was founded by the National Cooperative Business Association.

Caption: Former OFBF Executive Vice President C. William Swank will be inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame April 24.