News: Owen - Heartland Co-op/River County Merger (1 May 2019)

Surname: Hardy, Mlsna

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

----Source: The Tribune-Phonograph (Abbotsford, WI) 5/01/2019

Patrons of Heartland Cooperative and River County Cooperative have voted to merge into a single combine cooperative.

Lisa Hardy, spokesperson for River County Cooperative, said the new merged cooperative will be named River County Cooperative, and have it main office in Chippewa Falls. A secondary office will be in Owen.

Currently, Heartland Cooperative headquartered in Dorchester, has 1,300 stock holding patrons. There are 600 patrons who belong to River Country Cooperative.

Hardy said the merged cooperative will be able to do $210 million in sales through 29 locations in a trade area that extends from Antigo to Bloomer. The combined cooperative will employ 600people and serve 40,000 consumers.

Bruce Mlsna, current CEO at River Country Cooperative, will oversee the new company.