Robert Cropp | Michael Grinnell | Brent Hueth | Lynn Pitman | Anne Reynolds

Bob Cropp, Professor Emeritus

Bob Cropp is a former director of the Center for Cooperatives, and currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics. He devoted the past 40 years to working with agricultural cooperatives and on dairy marketing and policy issues. Extension/outreach programs were directed at cooperative boards of directors, managers and employees. In the dairy area extension-outreach programs and research targeted dairy farmers, dairy cooperatives, and dairy leaders in regards to dairy outlook, milk pricing, dairy price risk management and federal dairy policy. Bob is frequently called upon to provide expert testimony on federal dairy policy issues at U.S. Congressional hearings. Cropp has received numerous awards for his teaching and extension work and service to agriculture and cooperatives. Although retired, he plans to remain very much involved in dairy marketing and policy issues and working with cooperatives.

Contact info: University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 229 Taylor Hall, 427 Lorch Street, Madison WI 53706-1503, ph 608.262.9483, fax 608.262.3251, racropp@wisc.edu

Michael Grinnell, Project Assistant

Michael Grinnell works with Anne Reynolds on various internet projects including the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives website.

Contact info: University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 230 Taylor Hall, 427 Lorch Street, Madison, WI 53706-1503, ph 608.262.3981, fax 608.262.3251, mgrinnell@wisc.edu

Brent Hueth, Director

Brent Hueth was recently hired as Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives and as Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Prior to joining the UW, Brent was Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University where his research and teaching focused on contracting and coordination in the agricultural sector. Brent brings a strong background in industrial organization economics and corporate finance to the Center, and an interest in research and analysis of the cooperative sector. Recent research projects that focus on cooperative issues include study of cooperative bargaining by farmers and investigation of the relationship between the cost of capital and cooperative economic activity.

Contact info: University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 229 Taylor Hall, 427 Lorch Street, Madison WI 53706-1503, ph 608.890-0924, fax 608.262.3251, hueth@wisc.edu

Lynn Pitman, Associate Outreach Specialist

Lynn Pitman recently joined the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. She will be working on education and communications projects. Lynn has been an active board member of a neighborhood grocery cooperative start-up, and has been involved in grocery cooperative and neighborhood development issues. Her prior work experience has been with growing, entrepreneurial companies in the field of catalog marketing.

Contact info: University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 234 Taylor Hall, 427 Lorch Street, Madison, WI 53706-1503, ph 608.261-1355, fax 608.262.3251, pitman@wisc.edu.

Anne Reynolds, Assistant Director

Anne Reynolds is the Assistant Director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. She has participated in several research and cooperative development projects in the areas of co-op member satisfaction and loyalty, cooperative education for emerging leaders, value-added agriculture, health care, and rural housing co-ops. She has led numerous workshops on board leadership, board roles and responsibilities and strategic planning. Anne serves on several boards, including The Cooperative Foundation, the Association of Cooperative Educators, Wisconsin Federated Youth Foundation and the Senior Cooperative Foundation. Before joining the Center for Cooperatives, Anne worked at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

Contact info: University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 222 Taylor Hall, 427 Lorch Street, Madison, WI 53706-1503, ph 608.263.4775, fax 608.262.3251, atreynol@wisc.edu