Howard A. Cowden (1893 - 1973)

Inducted: 1976

This ‘pioneer prairie cooperator’ was an organizer of the Consumers Cooperative Association, whose members would build it into one of America’s largest cooperatives, Farmland Industries. He served CCA for 32 years. His leadership also brought the United States its first cooperatively owned oil refinery, and he was internationally recognized as an organizer of cooperative petroleum programs.

As a cooperative educator, he helped to organize the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership at the University of Missouri. He was also a member of the International Cooperative Alliance Commission on Cooperative Principles, was long-time vice president of NCBA, and served as president of the International Cooperative Petroleum Association, an organization that he helped to found.