Bill Harris, founding president Cooperative Coffees as well as Café Campesino, a Fair Trade roaster based in Americus, Georgia. Both businesses share the mission of helping disadvantaged farmers receive a fair price for their product through mutually beneficial, long-term trade partnerships. Before “fair-trade enlightenment,” Bill was the president of a food distribution company, a trust portfolio manager, and a business consultant. He currently serves on the Board and as treasurer of the Fair Trade Federation, the Board of the Americus/Sumter County Habitat for Humanity Affiliate, and the Board of Directors of Glover Foodservice.

Monika Firl, Cooperative Coffee’s producer relations manager, has worked with a variety of locally based development projects, while living in Central America and Mexico from 1991 to 2000. Her experiences range from founding and directing a center in San Salvador for the exchange of information on alternative technology, to direct participation in technical training and marketing development with coffee producers’ cooperatives in Chiapas— including Mut Vitz and Maya Vinic from whom Cooperative Coffees maintains a relationship. From 1996 to 2000 she coordinated a regional program within the Campesino a Campesino network for information exchange on production practices for organic coffee and viable market alternatives among farmers from Chiapas and the rest of Central America.

Abby Welch, I am the newest employee (Administrative Assistant) of the Cooperative Coffees team here in Americus, GA. I am a junior at Georgia Southwestern State University majoring in Accounting. I am very excited about the hands on experience my job requires. This opportunity will be a great learning experience in many aspects of my life and I am eager to start the journey.