The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last month the appointment of three incumbents and four new members to the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) Board, which directs the National Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign.

Reappointed to serve second terms are: Charles Gaither, Milkco, Inc., Asheville, N.C. (Region 4); James Green, Kemps, LLC, St. Paul, Minn. (Region 7); and Terri Webb, Farmland Dairies, LLC, Wallington, N.J. (At-Large Processor).

Newly appointed board members are: Eva Balazs, Product Manager, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. (Region 1); Nick Mysoré, Dean Foods Company, Dallas, Texas (Region 10); Henry Michon, Pleasanton, Calif.(Region 13); and Brian Linney, Darigold, Inc., Seattle, Wash. (At-Large Processor).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operations of the board, which is comprised of 15 fluid milk processors from 15 geographic regions and five at-large members. At least three at-large members must be fluid milk processors and at least one must be from the general public.

These appointments were effective July 1, and appointees were seated during MilkPEP's summer board meeting in mid-July. New officers also were elected at the meeting. They are:

  • Chair: Terri Webb, Executive VP & CFO, Farmland Dairies, LLC, Wallington, N.J.
  • Vice Chair: Rick Zuroweste, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Dean Dairy Group, Dean Foods Company, Dallas, Texas
  • Secretary: Jim Green, President & CEO, Kemps LLC, St. Paul, Minn.
  • Treasurer: Jay Bryant, Treasurer and CEO, MD & VA Milk Producers Co-op, Reston, Va.

As of July 15, the MilkPEP board members are:

  • Region 1 - Eva Balazs, Product Manager, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc., Buffalo, NY
  • Region 2 - Chris Ross, Vice President, Fluid Sales & Marketing, HP Hood, LLC, Lynnefield, MA
  • Region 3 - Jay Bryant, Treasurer and CEO, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., Reston, VA
  • Region 4 - Charles Gaither, President, Milkco, Inc., Asheville, NC
  • Region 5 - Mike Smith, Vice President of Manufacturing, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Lakeland, FL
  • Region 6 - Scottie Mayfield, President, Mayfield Dairy Farms, Inc., Dean Foods, Athens, TN
  • Region 7 - James Green, President and CEO, Kemps, LLC, St. Paul, MN
  • Region 8 - Mike Bell, Vice President and General Manager, NDH/LaLa
  • Region 9 - Ed Mullins, Executive Vice President and CEO, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., Carlinville, IL
  • Region 10 - Nick Mysoré, Senior Director, Marketing Research, Dean Foods Company, Dallas, TX
  • Region 11 - Steve Turner, President, Turner Dairy Holding, LLC (Prairie Farms), Memphis, TN
  • Region 12 - Rick Zuroweste, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Dean Foods Dairy Group, Dallas, TX
  • Region 13 - Henry Michon, Senior Vice President, Safeway Inc., Pleasanton, CA
  • Region 14 - Jay Simon, President, Super Store Industries, Stockton, CA 
  • Region 15 - Tim Kelbel, Vice President, Dairy Group-West, Manufacturing, The Kroger Company, Cincinnati, OH 
  • At Large - Michael Krueger, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Dairy Division, Shamrock Foods Company, Phoenix, AZ 
  • At Large - Miriam Erickson Brown, President and CEO, Anderson Erikson Dairy Company, Des Moines, IA
  • At Large - Brian Linney, Vice President, Consumer Products, Darigold, Inc., Seattle, WA
  • At Large - Terri Webb, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Farmland Dairies, LLC, Wallington, NJ 
  • Public - Mary Hill, Executive Director, Food Service, Jackson Public Schools, Jackson, MS