Phoenix – The International Dairy Foods Association presented 2016 Soaring Eagle Awards to three outgoing officers: Patricia Stroup, chief procurement officer, Nestlé North America Procurement, Nestlé USA, Inc.; Jeffrey Kaneb, executive vice president, HP Hood LLC; and Mike Wells, president and CEO, Wells Enterprises, Inc. The awards were presented this week at a special ceremony during Dairy Forum 2016 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
The Soaring Eagle awards recognize the extraordinary service of leaders in the dairy industry and those who have provided exemplary leadership to IDFA, the International Ice Cream Association, the Milk Industry Foundation and the National Cheese Institute.
“Patty, Jeff and Mike have been great leaders, and we thank them for their years of service,” said Connie Tipton, IDFA president and CEO. “I know they will continue to make significant and long-lasting contributions to the associations and the industry for years to come.”
Patricia Stroup, Chief Procurement Officer, Nestlé North America Procurement, Nestlé USA, Inc. Patricia Stroup served as IDFA chair from 2013 to 2015 and IDFA treasurer from 2012 to 2013. She also served as chair of the International Ice Cream Association from 2012 to 2013 and vice chair from 2011 to 2012.
Jeffrey Kaneb, Executive Vice President, HP Hood LLC
Jeffrey Kaneb served as chairman of the Milk Industry Foundation from 2013 to 2015 and vice chairman from 2011 to 2013. He also served as vice chairman of IDFA from 2013 to 2015.
Mike Wells, President and CEO, Wells Enterprise, Inc.
Mike Wells served as the chairman of the International Ice Cream Association from 2013 to 2015 and vice chairman from 2012 to 2013. He also served as secretary of IDFA from 2013 to 2015.
Videos honoring the three officers for their years of service are available at IDFA's YouTube channel.
Previous recipients of the IDFA Soaring Eagle Award include Mike Nosewicz, Ed Mullins, Jon Davis, Brian Perry, Gary Vanic, Dave Fuhrmann, Brian Haugh, Mike Reidy, Jim Green, Miriam Erickson Brown, Paul Kruse, Robert Allen, Tom Angott, Tom Badciong, Rick Beaman, C.O. "Tex" Beshears, George Cornell, Howard M. Dean, Jim Erickson, Miles Ezell, Lou Gentine, Betsy Holden, Larry Jensen, John Jeter, John Kinnett, Jr., Ed Kruse, Bill Oldenburg, Delton Parks, Arthur Pappathanasi, Tom Perry, Ronald Rice, David Rufenacht, Don Storhoff, Fay Wells and Gary Wells.
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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies within a $125-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's nearly 200 dairy processing members run nearly 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. Visit IDFA at www.idfa.org.
Source: The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)
