— Nathan Gieseke, CEO
One year ago, United Farmers Coop and Central Region Coop came together to form Central United Coop. Bringing two strong cooperatives together has required a great deal of work, and I want to thank our members for your continued trust, patience, and business throughout this first year.
From the beginning, our goal has been to build on the strengths of both legacy cooperatives while creating an organization that is well positioned to serve our members for years to come. That means maintaining the relationships and local service you value while making good use of the resources, technology, and opportunities available to us as one cooperative.
Over the past year, much of that work has begun to take shape. Our teams have worked through many of the details that come with operating as one cooperative, from how information moves between locations to how we serve members consistently across the business. There is still work to do, but we are seeing the benefits of greater coordination and a more unified approach.
We also recognize there are areas where our member experience needs to improve. Account statements are one example. We know they have not always been as clear or easy to use as they should be, and improving that experience remains a priority. In the meantime, the Central United Customer Portal gives you a simple, user-friendly way to view your account statements and transaction history, pay bills, and communicate directly with our team.
If you haven’t signed up yet, I encourage you to try it. Getting started only takes a few steps, and once you’re set up, you’ll have convenient access to your information whenever you need it.
Getting started is simple:
- Visit portal.centralunitedcoop.com
- Select “Request Access”
- Verify your contact information
You’re all set
Our first year also demonstrated the financial strength of the combined cooperative. Central United completed more than $20 million in major projects without taking on new debt. We are also seeing improved profitability compared to the two legacy organizations operating separately, despite continued challenges across the agricultural economy. These results give us greater flexibility to invest in the cooperative while maintaining the financial stability our members expect.
We are taking that same approach to how we use our people, facilities, and equipment. Cross-training employees gives us greater flexibility to support members across teams and locations, while planning several years ahead helps us make decisions about where facility and equipment investments will provide the greatest value. Rather than looking only at immediate needs, we are considering how each decision supports the cooperative and our members well into the future.
Financial strength and efficient operations ultimately allow us to do more for our member-owners. They support continued investment in our facilities, services, employees, and communities while strengthening our ability to return value to members through equities and cash patronage. Keeping more of those dollars working in the communities we serve is an important part of the cooperative model and the value Central United is here to provide.
As we enter our second year, our direction remains clear. We will keep working to improve communication, simplify the experience of doing business with us, operate efficiently, and make sound investments that strengthen Central United for the future.
Our first year has established a strong foundation, and there is more work ahead. We will continue listening to our members, evaluating where we can improve, and making decisions with the long-term strength of your cooperative in mind.
Thank you for being part of Central United Coop.