Ohio Council of Retail Merchants

What Ohio Council of Retail Merchants does

The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants (OCRM) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1922 and headquartered at 50 West Broad Street, Suite 1111, Columbus, Ohio. It serves as Ohio's oldest and largest retail and wholesale industry association, representing more than 7,700 member establishments ranging from national brands to small business retailers. The organization provides advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels, influencing over 200 pieces of legislation annually, alongside member benefits including cost-savings programs, Ohio-specific retail research, education, networking events, workers' compensation programs, and safety training.

OCRM's core service offering is not a technology product but a membership-based portfolio of advocacy, programmatic services, and affiliate association management. The organization operates eight retail-focused affiliate associations spanning chain restaurants, wholesale distribution, tire and automotive dealers, bakers, energy and convenience retailers, vending operators, jewelers, and credit/collections businesses. It also operates OCRM Insurance Agency as a wholly-owned subsidiary providing insurance services to members, and offers RISE Up Industry Credentialing for workforce development.

OCRM's business model is primarily subscription-based, with revenue generated through membership dues from its 7,700+ member organizations and commissions or service fees from its insurance agency subsidiary. Distribution occurs via the ocrm.net website, direct outreach to Ohio retail businesses, and events including the Annual Meeting, golf outings, and the Ohio Retail Crime Summit. The organization holds strategic affiliations with the National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association, extending its reach to over 45 countries and the top 10 U.S. retailers.

Name

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants

Legal name

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants

Website

https://ocrm.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants is a non-profit trade association founded in 1922 that provides advocacy, education, and member services to 7,700+ Ohio retail and wholesale businesses, managing eight affiliate associations and an insurance agency subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants generates revenue primarily through membership dues from its 7,700+ member organizations, which include national brands and small business retailers.
2. OCRM Insurance Agency: The organization operates OCRM Insurance Agency as a subsidiary, providing insurance services to members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1922 that provides legislative advocacy, member benefits, and industry representation for retail and wholesale businesses across Ohio. It manages eight retail-focused affiliate associations covering chain restaurants, credit/collections, wholesalers-distributors, tire/automotive, bakers, energy/convenience, vending, and jewelers. The organization also operates the OCRM Insurance Agency subsidiary and offers member programs including workers' compensation, RISE Up Industry Credentialing, and recruitment/talent acquisition services.

Product overview

Ohio Council of Retail Merchants (OCRM) is a retail trade association, not a technology product company. It provides membership services for Ohio retailers including advocacy, workers' compensation programs, training and credentialing (RISE Up Industry Credentialing), job portal services, insurance agency services, and manages eight retail-focused affiliate associations. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OCRM Membership Membership-based offering for Ohio retail and wholesale businesses providing cost-savings on products and services, Ohio-specific retail research and trends, education, networking, legislative advocacy, and access to member programs. Current membership stands at 7,700+ establishments spanning national brands and small business retailers.
• OCRM Insurance Agency Wholly-owned subsidiary providing insurance services to OCRM member businesses, including workers' compensation and related coverage tailored for Ohio retail operators.
• RISE Up Industry Credentialing Industry credentialing program offered as a member benefit, providing retail industry certifications including recognized credentials such as RISE Up for workforce development.
• Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Job portal and talent acquisition services offered to Ohio retail members to help them recruit and hire retail workforce.
• Workers' Compensation Program (in partnership with Sedgwick) Group workers' compensation program for OCRM members delivered with partner Sedgwick, including managed care, cost containment, risk services specialists, and workplace safety consulting.
• Affiliate Association Management (Eight Retail-Focused Associations) OCRM manages eight retail-focused affiliate associations: Ohio Chain Restaurant Division (quick service, fast casual, and chain restaurants), Ohio Receivables Management Association (credit/collections), Ohio Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, Ohio Tire & Automotive Association, Ohio Bakers Association, Ohio Energy and Convenience Association, Ohio Automatic Merchandising Association, and Ohio Jewelers Division. Each provides industry-specific advocacy and member services.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Retail Federation (NRF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ohio Council of Retail Merchants is affiliated with the National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association. This affiliation benefits members by delivering relevant information and retail trends to help members remain competitive. NRF represents retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad.
• Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ohio Council of Retail Merchants is affiliated with RILA, which represents America's leading retailers including nine of the top 10 U.S. retailers. RILA serves as the retail industry's advocate in Washington DC and provides a forum for members to discuss operational practices and solutions.
• SedgwickcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSedgwick is the industry leader in workers compensation cost containment, serving as a key partner for the organization's workers compensation program. Sedgwick provides managed care, cost containment services, and safety consulting for members, including risk services specialists for workplace safety guidance.
• Vorys Law FirmcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVorys serves as the legal partner for the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, providing guidance on employment law, COVID-19 related issues, tax matters, and legislative initiatives. The firm has provided expert guidance on liability protection legislation and other legal matters affecting members.
• University of Cincinnati Economics CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to produce annual holiday retail sales forecasts and economic research for Ohio, providing data-driven insights for retail members.
• Ohio Chain Restaurant DivisioncoreOthersAn affiliate association managed by the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants that protects the interests of quick service, fast casual and other chain restaurant businesses.
• Ohio Receivables Management AssociationminorOthersAn affiliate association serving credit/collections businesses, incorporated within the Council's portfolio of retail-focused associations.
• Ohio Association of Wholesaler-DistributorsminorOthersAn affiliate association incorporated in 1985, representing Ohio's wholesaler-distributor sector.
• Ohio Tire & Automotive AssociationminorOthersAn affiliate association representing Ohio tire and automotive dealers, their suppliers, and other members of Ohio's tire industry.
• Ohio Bakers AssociationminorOthersAn affiliate association consisting primarily of family-owned retail bakers and their associated allied suppliers.
• Ohio Energy and Convenience AssociationminorOthersThe newest affiliate association established in 2021, representing energy and convenience sector businesses.
• Ohio Automatic Merchandising AssociationminorOthersAn affiliate association representing Ohio's vending machine industry.
• The Ohio Jewelers DivisionminorOthersAn affiliate division that has served the jewelers of Ohio since 1948.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Texas Retailers Association: State trade association serving Texas retailers through advocacy, education, and networking. Operates the same dues-funded, membership-based advocacy model as OCRM and serves a comparable large-state retail constituency.
• California Retailers Association: State-level retail trade association advocating for California retailers on legislative, regulatory, and workforce issues. Operates the same business model as OCRM—state-specific advocacy, member benefits, and education—for a geographically different but structurally identical constituency.
• Pennsylvania Retailers Association: State retail trade association serving Pennsylvania retailers through advocacy, member benefits, and industry education. Directly comparable to OCRM's model of state-focused advocacy, networking, and member services for a multi-vertical retail base.
• Illinois Retail Merchants Association: Illinois state retail trade association providing legislative advocacy, education, and member services. The most direct peer to OCRM in terms of organizational structure, name, and service mix, differing primarily in state geography.
• New York State Council of Retail Merchants: State-level retail trade association serving New York retailers with advocacy and member services. Highly comparable to OCRM in mission, structure, and member offerings, differing only in state geography.
• Massachusetts Retail Association: State retail trade association representing Massachusetts retailers through advocacy and member programs. Operates the same dues-funded, state-focused advocacy model as OCRM and serves a comparable multi-vertical retail constituency.
• Michigan Retailers Association: Michigan state retail trade association providing legislative advocacy, education, and member services including insurance and workers' compensation programs. Closely comparable to OCRM in the breadth of verticals served and the inclusion of insurance-adjacent services.
• Florida Retail Federation: Statewide trade association representing Florida retailers, providing advocacy, education, and member services. Directly comparable to OCRM as a state retail trade association serving a similarly large and diverse retail economy.

Broad incumbents

• National Retail Federation: The world's largest retail trade association, representing retailers of all sizes, formats, and channels across the U.S. and 45+ countries. NRF is OCRM's national affiliate and operates in the same trade-association category at scale, providing comparable advocacy, research, and education services.
• Retail Industry Leaders Association: Represents America's leading retailers, including nine of the top 10 U.S. retailers, with federal advocacy and operational best-practice forums. RILA is OCRM's national affiliate and is directly comparable as a trade association serving the retail industry, though focused on the largest operators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OhioMerchants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-council-of-retail-merchants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ohio Council of Retail Merchants