Inducted: 1985
The life of Jacob M. Kaplan exemplifies the success and credibility of the cooperative way of doing business. His work to organize the National Grape Cooperative Association in the 1930s, and his purchase and later innovative sale of Welch Food Company to the National Grape Cooperative farmers in 1956 started the cooperative structure which is now the largest Concord grape growing, processing and marketing enterprise in the world.
Kaplan further demonstrated his lifelong dedication to cooperatives by his generous personal support of the North American Students of Cooperation, The Cooperative Foundation and many other cooperative causes including cooperative housing for the elderly and support for the underprivileged.