EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.- Prairie Farms Dairy announced today the promotion of Chris Hackman as its Chief Operating Officer. Hackman currently serves as Senior Vice President of Operations, and on April 1, he will succeed Gary Aggus, who has served as COO since 2006. In February, Aggus announced that he would step down from the position.
“I am grateful for Gary’s dedicated service as Chief Operating Officer and wish him the very best as he transitions into the next phase of his career. At the same time, I am thrilled to have Chris assume this critical leadership role and look forward to our work together for many more years,” said Matt McClelland, Prairie Farms’ Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President. “Chris’ extensive knowledge, experience, and dedication to “Do Right” for our farmer-owners, associates, and customers makes him the ideal person for the COO position.”
“When I began my career with Prairie Farms 16 years ago, I had already gained 14 years of dairy experience through our family-owned and operated dairy processing facility. Beyond my 30 years of working in the dairy industry, dairy has always been a part of my life, as I am the third generation of a dairy family. I understand the crucial role of operational excellence in returning value to our hard-working dairy farmers,” said Chris Hackman. “Not only am I honored to accept the Chief Operating Officer position, but it is a privilege to work with our extraordinary team of associates. Together, we will lead Prairie Farms to continued growth and operational excellence.”
Hackman’s leadership within the dairy industry is significant. He currently serves on the Missouri State Milk Board Advisory Committee, Missouri Dairy Products Association Board of Directors (Board President from 2008-2010), and the All Star Association Board of Directors (Board President in 2016). In 2017, he was inducted into the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors and received the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors Leadership Award for his outstanding service to the Missouri dairy industry.
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful dairy cooperatives operating in the Midwest and the South. Elements of the cooperative include more than 600 farm families, 7,000 associates, 50 manufacturing plants, over 100 distribution facilities, and annual sales of over $4.2 billion. Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry known for setting the standard for milk flavor innovations and producing award-winning milk, cheese, and cultured dairy products. With headquarters in Edwardsville, Ill., the Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30 percent of the United States; products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, foodservice outlets, and warehouse distribution centers. For more information about Prairie Farms Dairy, visit www.prairiefarms.com
