John E. Fisher

Inducted: 1994

John E. Fisher served with distinction within the cooperative movement for more than 42 years. Rising through the ranks of the Nationwide Insurance Enterprise to general chairman and chief executive officer in 1981, Fisher consistently kept cooperative principles on the forefront of his agenda. With Fisher's leadership, Nationwide committed significant resources to cooperative development, both nationally and internationally. Fisher helped form the Nationwide Board Council of cooperative leaders devoted to sharing cooperative concerns with the Nationwide Board of Directors.

Cooperative education in Ohio also benefitted from Fisher's commitment and continuous support. Through his involvement and leadership, Fisher helped support the Ohio Council of Cooperatives by promoting the initiative to hire an executive coordinator and in funding a cooperative management program at Ohio State University.

On a personal level, Fisher served on the board of CARE, the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, and Nationwide's credit union. He was enthusiastically involved with the National Institute on Cooperative Education, the Cooperative Development Foundation, CoBank, the National Cooperative Business Association, and the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation, where his efforts to assist emerging cooperatives have included the formation of cooperative insurance societies in China and the Caribbean. Through the years, Fisher had a remarkable influence on cooperatives. He demonstrated his dedication to cooperative principles in his business dealings, his every day life, and his interaction with others.