WASHINGTON —The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced new members of the organization’s Executive Council as well as new directors for the group’s five Industry Segment Boards. IDFA’s Executive Council is composed of executives from across the dairy foods industry and focuses on the business and operations of the association. The five Industry Segment Boards represent fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy-derived ingredients, and are composed of experts and executives who help drive policy and strategy alongside the association’s leadership.
“These executives were nominated and approved based on their demonstrated leadership, business expertise and willingness to dedicate time to the continued growth of IDFA and the dairy industry in the United States,” said Dan Zagzebski, chair of IDFA’s Nomination and Governance Committee.
Together, the Executive Council and Industry Segment Boards make up IDFA’s governance structure and ensure that IDFA represents and engages all segments of the growing dairy industry in the United States.
“I’m thrilled to have such an experienced and diverse set of leaders joining the IDFA Executive Council and Industry Segment Boards,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “Their knowledge, experience and input will guide our regulatory, legislative, communications and membership services so that IDFA is working in the best interest of its members to make a difference for dairy.”
IDFA represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $159 billion in wages and $620 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers. Together, they represent approximately 90 percent of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, butter and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world.
IDFA Executive Council Members
Officers
- Chair: David Ahlem, CEO and President, Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc.
- Vice Chair: Patricia D. Stroup, Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Nestle S.A.
- Secretary: Stan Ryan, President & CEO, Darigold, Inc.
- Treasurer: David Nelsen, Group Vice President, Manufacturing, Albertsons Companies
- Immediate Past Chair: Dan Zagzebski, President & CEO, Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc.
IDFA Fluid Milk Board
- Chair: Jeffrey Kaneb, Chief Operating Officer, HP Hood LLC
- Vice Chair: Ed Mullins, Executive Vice President & CEO, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
IDFA Ice Cream Board
- Chair: Mike Wells, President & CEO, Wells Enterprises, Inc.
- Vice Chair: Rich D. Draper, Chief Executive Officer, The Ice Cream Club, Inc.
IDFA Cheese Board
- Chair: Louie Gentine, Chief Executive Officer, Sargento Foods Inc.
- Vice Chair: Doug Simon, President, Agropur U.S. Operations
IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board
- Chair: Philippe L. Caradec, Vice President, Public and Government Affairs, Danone North America
- Vice Chair: Trevor Farrell, Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, Schreiber Foods, Inc.
IDFA Ingredients Board
- Chair: Terry Brockman, Chief Business Officer, Saputo Dairy Division USA
- Vice Chair: Brad Anderson, President and CEO, California Dairies, Inc.
Directors
- Jay Bryant, CEO, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
- Peter Cotter, General Manager, Cheese & Dairy, The Kraft Heinz Company
- Mike Durkin, President & CEO, Leprino Foods Company
- Tim Galloway, CEO, Galloway Company
- Douglas Glade, Executive Vice President, Business Integration, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
- Ken Jorgensen, Director, Dairy Operations, H-E-B
- Jerry D. Kaminski, Chief Operating Officer, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
- Scott McGinty, Chief Executive Officer, Aurora Organic Dairy
- Tom Murphy, President, Brewster Cheese Company
- Brian Phelan, CEO, Glanbia Nutritionals, Glanbia plc
- Shelley Roth, President, Pierre’s Ice Cream Company
- Greg Schlafer, CEO, Foremost Farms USA
- Erin Sharp, Group Vice President, Manufacturing, The Kroger Co.
- Lawrence Webster, CEO, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.
Gold Business Partner Representatives on Executive Council
- Jeff Fielkow, President & CEO, Tetra Pak Inc.
- Mary Ledman, Global Dairy Strategist, Rabobank
- Mike Neu, Senior Vice President, Food Cultures & Enzymes, Chr. Hansen, Inc.
View the full IDFA Executive Council
Industry Segment Board Additions
IDFA Fluid Milk Board
Director Additions:
- Keith Collins, President, Milkco, Inc.
- Tim Doelman, CEO, fairlife, LLC
- Bob Kirchoff, Chief Executive Officer, Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative
- Dennis Roberts, CEO/President, Crystal Creamery
- Chuck Turner, President, Turner Dairy Farms, Inc.
Gold Business Partner Additions:
- Carmen Becker, Vice President & General Manager, Amcor Rigid Plastics, Amcor
- DeWitt D Clark, Vice President, North American Packaging, Evergreen Packaging
- Joe Langehennig, Vice President, Corporate Accounts, Ecolab
View the full IDFA Fluid Milk Board
IDFA Ice Cream Board
Director Additions:
- Patrick Criteser, President and CEO, Tillamook County Creamery Association
- Robin Galloway, President, Ice Cream Division, DFA Dairy Brands
- Richard A. Graeter, President & Chief Executive Officer, Graeter’s Manufacturing Co.
- Greg Helbig, Director of Operations/Quality, Hiland Dairy Foods Co., LLC
- Keith Schroeder, CEO, High Road Craft Ice Cream
- Brett Tanttu, Vice President, Research & Development, Saputo Dairy Foods USA
Gold Business Partner Additions:
- Kelly Pettijohn, Senior Director, Business Development-Key Accounts, Americold
- Chris Olsen, Vice President, Community and Government Affairs, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas L.L.C.
View the full IDFA Ice Cream Board
IDFA Cheese Board
Director Additions:
- Roxanne Bernstein, President & General Manager, Crystal Farms Dairy Company
- William Beaton, CEO, Agri-Mark, Inc./Cabot
- Mike Durkin, President & CEO, Leprino Foods Company
- Ron Dunford, President & CEO, Schreiber Foods, Inc.
- Rick Pedersen, President, Ornua Ingredients North America
Gold Business Partner Additions:
- Dale Andersen, President & CEO, Delkor Systems, Inc.
View the full IDFA Cheese Board
IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board
Director Addition:
- Rick Beaman, Vice President, Hiland/Joint Venture Operations, Hiland Dairy Foods Co., LLC
Gold Business Partner Addition:
- Nathan Arnold, P.E., Director, Client Development, Hixson Architects & Engineers
View the full IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board
IDFA Ingredients Board
Director Additions:
- Joe Coote, President, Global Ingredients, Darigold, Inc.
- Mike Durkin, President & CEO, Leprino Foods Company
- Kimberly Fisk, Head of Global Procurement, Commodities, Nestle S.A.
- Dan LaMarche, Vice President, Operations, Agropur U.S. Operations
- Uwe Schnell, President, North America, FrieslandCampina Ingredients North America, Inc.
- Patti Smith, CEO, DairyAmerica
- Íarlaith Smyth, President, Ornua Foods North America
View the full IDFA Ingredients Board
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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $159 billion in wages and $620 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent 90 percent of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.
