Historically, women have played a very significant role in the development of cooperatives in The Bahamas. Their strong leadership has helped the movement to become a dynamic force throughout the country.  Even today women continue to play leading and important roles in the administration, development and regulation of cooperatives in The Bahamas.

2020 ushered in a new era of regulatory leadership with the appointment of the first female Director of Societies in over 45 years.     The first three regulators of cooperatives in the history of the Bahamian cooperative movement were held by males.

Ms. Cheryl Bowe-Moss, Director of Societies, has a balanced view of both credit union and cooperative leadership.  She is well qualified to sit in the chair and provides a clear vision to move the sector forward. 

Cheryl Bowe-Moss’ exposure to cooperatives began during her childhood. She was exposed to the movement by her father, Peter Maxwell Bowe, a pioneer in the movement. He was a founding member and a Management Committee member of the first consumer cooperative food store in The Bahamas, which was located in Culmersville, New Providence.

Cheryl Bowe-Moss’ involvement with the cooperative movement spans some thirty-nine (39) years. She is an avid credit unionist and cooperator. She expanded her involvement in cooperatives by joining the Department of Cooperatives in January 1981.  She served as the Cooperative Officer with responsibilities for Credit Unions.

After leaving the Department, she continued her involvement in the movement and held positions on the Supervisory Committee of both The Grand Bahama Cooperative Credit Union (1982–1983) and the Teachers and Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union Limited. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Teachers and Salaried Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited from 1990-present.  She holds the distinction of being the first female Chairman of the Teachers and Salaried Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited (2009–2010). 

Bowe-Moss has led a distinguished service career with the Apex Body, The Bahamas Cooperative League Limited, having served on the Supervisory Committee and the Board of Directors of the Bahamas Cooperative League Limited. She has served as the President from 2007 to May, 2014. She also represented the movement on the Advisory Committee for Cooperatives to the Government of The Bahamas.

In 2008, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Union for an initial three-year term (2008–2011). During her tenure, she served as the Secretary to the Board and Vice President. She was re-elected to the board (2011–2014) and served in the capacity of Vice-President of the Confederation. 

During her tenure as President of the Bahamas Cooperative League, Ms Bowe-Moss served as a member of the Legal Framework Committee responsible for the crafting of the 2015 Credit Union Bill.

In 2015, Ms. Bowe-Moss returned to the Department of Cooperative Development.  During her four-year tenure as a senior manager, she was instrumental in developing and growing school cooperatives throughout The Bahamas.