The US-based Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) brings together organizations committed to building a more prosperous world through cooperatives. Paul Hazen has served as OCDC’s executive director since 2012. He recently led an OCDC initiative to form the International Cooperative Research Group, whose mission is to research, formulate and share effective strategies for the development, performance, and growth of cooperatives in developing countries. Paul is also the leading advocate for the US Agency for International Development’s Cooperative Development Program, which funds cooperatives in the developing world.
Prior to joining OCDC, Paul was CEO of Washington, D.C.-based National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International (NCBA CLUSA), the primary voice in the United States for people who use cooperatives to build a better world.
Paul is a co-founder of Dot Coop, the top-level domain for cooperatives around the world. He also serves on the boards of the Rochdale Capital and Community Purchasing and the Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative. Past board service includes the International Cooperative Alliance, Consumer Federation of American, Cooperative Development Foundation, Cooperative Business International, National Cooperative Bank, and Capital Impact Partners.
In 2022, Paul was inducted into the prestigious Cooperative Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed by the cooperative community in the United States. He was recognized for devoting his career to elevating the cooperative voice domestically and internationally.