Aaron Sapiro (1884-1959)

Inducted: 1986

Aaron Sapiro was instrumental in the initiation and development of a contract or marketing agreement between cooperatives and their members. He also developed a plan for the "commodity method" of cooperative marketing, which became known as the "California Plan". While active in organizing cooperatives in California, he publicized the need for a uniform Cooperative Marketing Act before state legislators, committees and from groups. Sapiro received recognition for the adoption by most states of the standard Cooperative Marketing Act. He was regarded as "a man ahead of his time" and his ideas significantly influenced agricultural cooperatives.