Boots on the Ground: Highlights From Our 2025 DC Annual Meeting
On November 5th, 2025, 130+ CPA co-op leaders convened at the Festival Center to celebrate our collective work together over the past year. Our DC Annual Meeting gave us a front-row seat to what democratic ownership and collective problem-solving looks like in action.
Throughout the evening we hammered home our theme (along with fans clacking): our co-op has “boots on the ground.” What does that mean to us? It means that members are deeply rooted in our communities, practice enduring mutual aid and know how to weather a storm. We believe that even if things get harder, even if there are more layoffs, more budget cuts, more instability… we are still stronger if we are in it together.
For many, the Annual Meeting is one of the only times during the year they get to talk in person with peers whose work directly intersects with their own. That made the gathering not just a celebration, but a space for genuine connection.
Katelyn Coghlan, DC’s Engagement Director, noted that one of the most powerful moments came during the table breakout discussions. Halfway through the program, each table was asked to introduce themselves and explore what more the co-op could take on. The room was abuzz generating ideas like IT services, fractional HR support, banking transaction fee group rates.
At one table, members discussed challenges CPA staff hadn’t yet heard about. At another, participants brainstormed solutions and shared resources on the spot. It was an organic reminder that the co-op isn’t just a purchasing group, it’s a vessel for collective wisdom. When our members gather, solutions emerge naturally.
The agenda included the celebration of several milestones and recognitions, including:
Welcoming Three New Member-Owners
Augustana Lutheran Church
Girls Global Public Charter School
Maret School
2025 Most Cooperative Award
Presented by last year’s awardee, Sebastien Durand, this year’s award was presented to Jevera Temsky on behalf of Tifereth Israel Congregation for their steady leadership, generous peer support, and active commitment to cooperative problem-solving.
In addition to the aforementioned recognitions, we had the chance to hear from various co-op members. Karl Stevenson from First Baptist Church of Deanwood, Brian Graber and Robin Farber from Sixth & I, and Geovanna Izurieta from Washington Latin PCS shared firsthand how the co-op has helped them save money, solve problems, and strengthen their institutions. Karl even brought his electricity bill to share the exact amount he’s saving each month!
Together Amy Abbott, CPA Co-op’s Co-Executive Director and Gina Schaefer, former CEO of A Few Cool Hardware Stores and the leader behind converting 13 ACE Hardware locations to employee ownership, spoke about the importance of cooperation among cooperatives. Amy agitated leaders in the room around the visibility problem that co-ops have - with only 7% of people responding they were familiar with the business model. Gina delivered a powerful reminder of what cooperative storytelling can spark. Her message was clear: every person in the room holds the ability to amplify the co-op story, strengthen our institutions, and build community power through everyday interactions. As her own business grows toward 15 employee-owned locations and 350 co-owners, Gina challenged us to “double down” on telling the CPA story – weaving it into our work, our relationships, and the collective future we’re building together.
2025 has been a year of growth for CPA Co-op. Our staff is now 18 members strong and the co-op is doing business in 13 purchasing areas. CPA DMV now has 94 member-owners. While our 2025 financials aren’t yet finalized just yet, we’re excited about the projections. We anticipate that in 2025, CPA Co-op will have facilitated $43 million in contract spend for over 200 organizations, with $17+ million of this spend going to locally-owned, women-owned, and MBE vendors. Over the next year, we look forward to continued expansion, deeper community engagement, and more opportunities to broaden our reach.
True to CPA’s spirit, the evening ended with a line dance led by Board Member Troy Watson to “Boots on the Ground” by 803Fresh, a fitting celebration of our collective energy. Looking ahead, we’re committed to continued expansion, deeper engagement, and creating even more opportunities for our network to thrive.
Thank you to our 2025 Most Valuable Partner
O’Melveney has been by our side through some of the most important — and sometimes complex — moments in the life of our co-op. They’ve helped us revise our bylaws, navigate contract disputes, and ensure our school lunch program is both compliant and thriving. When challenges arose between a school and a vendor, O’Melveney guided us to help mediate and rebuild trust. And most recently, they worked with us to update our preferred vendor agreement, strengthening the foundation for all of our cooperative partnerships going forward.
Thank You to Our 2025 Annual Meeting Sponsors
Your investment made this gathering and our shared work possible.
Friend Level
IGS Energy
Bolana
Lavender Accounting
Supporter Level
UBT
Constellation
Genuine Foods
Cleat Design & Build
B&B Designed Systems
Service Industries
BradCorp
Cooperator Level
Sovereign Insurance Group
EPIC Insurance Brokers
PMM Companies
National Cooperative Bank