BARABOO, WIS. – The Foremost Farms USA® board of directors is pleased to announce that John Machuzick will be joining the board as an independent director. Machuzick is recently retired from General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., where he began his career in sales and served in many leadership positions, ending his tenure as senior vice president and president of the Bakeries and Foodservice Division. The board hired Machuzick following its May meeting.
“John’s skills and experience in the food industry will be an important addition to our board,” said Dave Scheevel, chairman. “He is a critical thinker and will listen and fit in well with our board, while bringing a wealth of experience in the foodservice industry.”
Among Machuzick’s accomplishments are streamlining the General Mills business model, eliminating excess supply chain capacity and improving utilization. He also improved organizational culture and his division won many customer awards for creating value through strategic alliances.
The board conducted an extensive search for an independent director after amending its bylaws last year to allow for independent directors to serve in an advisory capacity. Independent directors have no voting authority, but may bring a specialty to the dairy-farmer member board, much like Machuzick brings in the areas of sales, marketing and supply chain improvement.
Mike Doyle, president and CEO, said, “I am pleased that the board has hired John and am ready to work with him and our board to move our foundational goals forward. His experience in sales, marketing and supply chain management is a good compliment to our board and our staff.” Doyle adds that Machuzick will help challenge Foremost Farms to maintain its focus on being market driven in our business transformation for the future. “We want to be the best, most profitable and most trusted milk marketing and milk solids processing company with a culture that thrives on innovation and operational excellence. John knows where we are going and can help us get there.”
Machuzick is currently the founder, CEO and president of Sweetwater Solutions, LLC, Minneapolis, Minn., where he leverages over 34 years of food industry experience to assist small to mid-scale, privately owned food companies to create and implement effective strategic growth plans and engineer successful business turnaround strategies. He has a bachelor’s degree in food marketing from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa., where he served as chair of the
University Academy of Food Marketing Board from 2008-2014. He holds an M.B.A. in strategic business planning from Pepperdine University, Malibu, Calif. John is a member of the Food Service Manufacturers Association (FSMA), has chaired the General Mills Political Action Committee, and has held board seats on the Minnesota Orchestra, Boy Scouts of Greater Minneapolis and St. Paul., Big Brothers and Big Sisters-Twin Cities and the General Mills United Way Campaign. John resides in San Clemente, Calif., with his wife, Cindi.
Foremost Farms USA (www.foremostfarms.com), headquartered in Baraboo, Wis., is a farmer-owned milk processing and marketing cooperative with annual sales of $2 billion. The nation’s sixth-largest cooperative and number 25 in annual sales among the Top 100 U.S. dairy processors, Foremost Farms is a leading manufacturer and marketer of cheese, specialty whey ingredients, butter and bulk fluid milk to customers around the world.
Source: Foremost Farms USA
