SaludCoop Cited for Support of .Coop

SaludCoop, the leading health provider in Colombia, was honored for outstanding support of the .coop Internet domain at a reception at the ICA General Assembly in Cartagena on September 22nd. The reception marked the fourth anniversary of the cooperative-only domain. Accepting the award on behalf of SaludCoop was President Carlos Palacino, who also serves as ICA Americas President.

SaludCoop is the second largest employer in Colombia and one of the most important cooperatives in Latin America. It offers services to more than 4.5 million people and has a very active website.

SaludCoop was an early adopter of .coop, using www.saludcoop.coop to emphasize its cooperative structure. The award cited SaludCoop for promoting "the technological advancement of the international cooperative movement and cooperation among cooperatives."

The award was presented by Pauline Green, Chief Executive and General Secretary of Cooperatives UK, European Vice President of the ICA and Vice Chair of the Board of Managers of dotCoop.

The reception at the Hilton Hotel was hosted by DotCooperation LLC, sponsor of the .coop domain and a subsidiary of the National Cooperative Business Association, a U.S.-based cooperative membership association.

Also attending the reception were Ivano Barberini, President of the ICA, newly elected ICA Board member and NCBA President and CEO Paul Hazen, Bob Burlton of OS&G Co-operative Society (UK) and representatives from long time .coop supporters such as the Japanese Consumer's Co-operative Union, Crédit Coopératif of France and La Liga de Cooperativas of Puerto Rico, Also attending were leaders from Colombian cooperatives and participants from the ICA Youth Conference that was also being held in Cartagena.

OS&G provides registry operator services for .coop through its subsidiary OSGCD that is also the largest registrar of .coop names.

Published on 05 October 2005