I. Harvey Hull (1884 – 1972)

Inducted:1976

Harvey Hull built the Indiana Farm Bureau Cooperative Association from a bankrupt organization into one of the leading U.S. farm cooperatives. He later helped to create United Cooperatives, Inc., which together now constitute Universal Cooperatives. He was active in organizing and promoting the first rural credit unions, and was a pioneer in rural electrification efforts. Due largely to Hull’s efforts, in fact, the first rural electric cooperative in the United States was in Boone County, Indiana. This came about because Hull introduced a bill to the Indiana State Legislature authorizing the organization of rural electric cooperatives. This statute was passed two months prior to the national Rural Electrification Act. He was also a board member of the National Cooperative Business Association from 1935 to 1950.

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.

Howard Babcock (1889 – 1950)

Inducted:1976

Howard Babcock was one of the early leaders of U.S. farm cooperatives. He was first secretary and later general manager and director of research for the Cooperative Grange League Federation Exchange, now Agway. With a lifelong interest in food production, he served on the Federal Farm Board as well as on the board of the Central Bank for Cooperatives. He was co-president of the National Cooperative Council, now the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and chairman of the American Institute of Cooperation.