Mica, Abernathy, Ditsch named top co-op communicators

hree of the nation’s top practitioners in the art of cooperative communications — including the leader of the nation’s credit union sector, a veteran co-op editor and a dynamic young communicator — were presented in June with the top awards of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA).

For his dedication to co-op communications, Daniel A. Mica, president since 1996 of Credit Union National Association (CUNA), which serves nearly one third of the nation’s consumers, was named CEO Communicator of the Year at the CCA Communications Institute in Williamsburg, Va.

CCA News editor Donna Foster Abernathy’s more than two decades of excellence in cooperative communications earned her the 49th annual H.E. Klinefelter Award, which recognizes career achievement and “dedication to improving the standards of cooperative communication.” Teri Ditsch, communications director for AMAROK, an Arizonabased building supply purchasing cooperative, took home the Graznak Award, recognizing her as one of the nation’s outstanding young (under the age of 36) co-op communicators.

Mica, a former Florida congressman, was saluted for being “a visible and effective voice for credit unions and cooperatives in the national media.” Under his leadership, CUNA has launched a strategic communications plan to “change the conversation” on Capitol Hill about credit unions. The campaign emphasizes how credit unions “look out for the little guy.” It involves innovative messaging, “guerilla-marketing” techniques, social media (such as YouTube), traditional advertising and direct communication with lawmakers.

Mica has supported CUNA’s full-day national advocacy training program for credit union leaders, half of which focuses on working with the media to deliver key messages about cooperatives and credit unions. CUNA is the nation’s largest credit union trade group, representing more than 90 percent of the country’s 8,300 state and federally chartered credit unions which together serve some 90 million Americans.

Media savvy winner Abernathy began her cooperative career with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, moved into advertising and later started her own freelance marketing communications business, DLF Communication Services, from her home in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Abernathy became CCA News editor in 2000, moving the publication to a Web- and e-mail-based distribution.

She was described as “highly creative, professional and savvy in co-op and media realities – an exceptional communicator who employs only the best writing, photography, graphic and editing skills.” As editor of CCA News, Abernathy has made the newsletter a must read for those seeking to be on the cutting edge of cooperative communications practices.

Ditsch was praised for her success in raising the communications program at her co-op to a new level since joining it in 2001. She serves as editor of her co-op’s magazine and newsletter, is responsible for special event planning, advertising, media relations, Web site maintenance, photography and a variety of other marketing and communication projects.

Ditsch, who just assumed the CCA presidency, was called “one of the nation’s most creative, talented and detailed communicators.” She “consistently demonstrates the seven principles of cooperatives in all that she does. Because her work always displays a high level of professionalism, many other purchasing co-ops borrow her talent and follow her lead.”,

H.E. Klinefelter, who died in 1957, was one of CCA’s founders and an employee of what today is MFA Inc. Michael Graznak was a talented communicator with Farmland Industries. He died at age 51 of a heart attack while on an assignment for the co-op.

Other top awards
CCA awarded its other top honors to: Other awards won by Rural Cooperatives staff or contributors included: Anne Todd, first place featurette for an article about a co-op for housecleaners; Catherine Merlo, first place serious/investigative feature for “Left Behind,” about grain co-ops that have lost business due to biofuels development; Dan Campbell, second place for serious/investigative features for “The Natural,” about a natural beef cooperative, and third place in the cooperative education category for an article on the 80th anniversary of the Cooperative Marketing Act; Assistant Editor Stephen Thompson, third place in the news category for coverage of a renewable energy conference. The magazine was awarded third place for best overall use of photos in a publication.





July/August Table of Contents