BCCA Distinguished Co-operator Award

The Distinguished Co-operator Award recognizes and honours British
Columbia co-operators and co-operative organizations for outstanding
achievement and service to the co-operative/credit union movement. Up
to three Awards (one for an individual, one for an organization and one
for a youth) were be presented at BCCA’s 2009 gala Awards Dinner.

This year’s winner for Distinguished Co-operator Award goes to  Robin Puga!

Robin Puga is a web developer, radio connoisseur and co-operative
enthusiast, originally from Bowen Island he now lives in Vancouver.
Robin earned his degree in Software Engineering from the University of
Victoria. In 2000, he started Digiloom – a web development company
specialising in affordable Open Source web solutions, providing
non-technical users with the ability to update their own websites. From
2002 through September 2008, Robin was employed as Technology Director
at the British Columbia Institute for Co-operative Studies (BCICS).
While at BCICS he helped design and implement many online projects,
including the Co-operative Learning Centre. He also helped coordinate
the publishing of Youth Reinventing Co-operatives – a book about youth
co-operatives around the world. In May 2006, Robin began producing and
co-hosting Each For All – a weekly educational radio show about co-ops
and social economy organizations. Each For All airs on CFUV (Victoria
Community Radio), CFRO (Vancouver Co-op Radio) and is syndicated on
WRFG (Radio Free Georgia, in Atlanta). In 2009, he has directed his
energies to forming two new worker co-operatives – CanTrust Hosting
Co-operative and Each For All Worker’s Co-op. Robin is an active board
member of the Vancouver Co-op Radio, the Canadian Association for
Studies in Co-operation and the B.C. Co-operative Association.