Cooperatives Co-ops have very different accounting requirements. You need a partner who has a thorough understanding of the cooperative industry and isn’t afraid to, for example, get dirty and crawl in a grain bin to measure your inventory! When it comes to auditing coops, the staff members at Gardiner Thomsen are specialists. We understand the co-op industry because we created our firm to specifically serve the co-op market. We’ve been counseling clients in nine mid-western states for more than 40 years and our knowledge and success has had a valuable impact on the coop industry. For instance, in the past year, Gardiner Thomsen has performed audit services for over 100 coops, and in the 1990’s, Dan Gardiner, our founder, took part in drafting the state legislation to allow for the first value added agricultural coops in Iowa. We’ve worked along side management and boards of directors for solving problems and developing strategic plans to help both large and small co-ops achieve their goals. We understand how the business functions, that co-ops work on tight profit margins and prosper by capitalizing and building equity for the company. A coop must constantly be focused on controlling expenses because it is key to their long-term success. That is why our co-op advisors offer specialized expertise that will help you address your individual goals as well as plan for the future.