WASHINGTON, January 23, 2022—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today 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. 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.
“These executives were nominated and selected based on their demonstrated leadership, business expertise and willingness to dedicate time to the future success of IDFA and the dairy industry in the United States,” 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 our members and the industry overall.”
IDFA represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.3 million jobs that generate $41.6 billion in direct wages and $753 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.
According to David Ahlem, president and CEO of Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., and chairman of the IDFA Executive Council, “IDFA’s leadership helps to ensure a unified voice for all segments of the dairy industry, and I’m honored to serve alongside so many talented, dedicated professionals making nutritious, sustainable and affordable dairy products for people all around the world.”
IDFA Executive Council Members
Officers (terms ending January 2023)
Chair: David Ahlem, CEO and President, Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc.
Vice Chair: Patricia Stroup, Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Nestle S.A. and Chief Executive Officer, Nestrade S.A.
Secretary: Stan Ryan, President & CEO, Darigold, Inc.
Treasurer: David Nelsen, Vice President, Manufacturing, Albertsons Companies
Immediate Past Chair: Dan Zagzebski, President & CEO, Great Lakes Cheese
IDFA Fluid Milk Board (terms ending January 2024)
Chair: Miriam Erickson Brown, Chair & CEO, Anderson Erickson Dairy Company
Vice Chair: Jay Bryant, CEO, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
IDFA Ice Cream Board (terms ending January 2024)
Chair: Ricky Dickson, CEO & President, Blue Bell Creameries, L.P.
Vice Chair: Andy Jacobs, CEO, Turkey Hill Dairy, Inc.
IDFA Cheese Board (terms ending January 2024)
Chair: Doug Wilke, CEO, Valley Queen Cheese
Vice Chair: Mike Durkin, President & CEO, Leprino Foods
IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board (terms ending January 2024)
Chair: Trevor Farrell, Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, Schreiber Foods, Inc.
Vice Chair: Courtney Bidney, Director, Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, General M
IDFA Ingredients Board (terms ending January 2023)
Chair: Terry Brockman, Chief Business Officer, Saputo Dairy Division USA
Vice Chair: Brad Anderson, President and CEO, California Dairies, Inc.
IDFA Executive Council Directors (terms ending January 2025)
Rich D. Draper, Chief Executive Officer, The Ice Cream Club, Inc.
Robin Dubuc, Vice President, Manufacturing Operations & Network Optimization, The Kroger Company
Louie P. Gentine, Chief Executive Officer, Sargento Foods Inc
Ed Mullins, Senior Executive Officer, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc
Mike Wells, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wells Enterprises, Inc
IDFA Executive Council Directors (terms ending January 2024)
Peter Cotter, President & CEO, Lactalis Heritage Dairy
Douglas Glade, Executive Vice President, Business Integration, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
Brian Phelan, CEO, Glanbia Nutritionals, Glanbia plc
IDFA Executive Council Directors (terms ending January 2023)
Jerry D. Kaminski, Chief Operating Officer, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Scott McGinty, Chief Executive Officer, Aurora Organic Dairy
Greg Schlafer, CEO, Foremost Farms USA
Lawrence Webster, CEO, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.
Gold Business Partner Representatives on Executive Council (term ending January 2025)
Joe Langehennig, Vice President, Corporate Accounts, Ecolab
Mary Ledman, Global Dairy Strategist, Rabobank
Industry Segment Board Additions
IDFA Fluid Milk Board
Director Additions:
Bruce Daily, All Star Purchasing
Cammie Muller, Chief Financial Officer, Aurora Organic Dairy
Randi Muzumdar, Senior Director Milk Procurement and Energy, HP Hood LLC
Blake Waltrip, President & CEO-USA, A2 Milk Company USA
IDFA Ice Cream Board
Director Additions:
Doug Harris, Vice President of Manufacturing, Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Dominic Garza, Chief Operating Officer, House of Flavors, Inc.
IDFA Cheese Board
Director Additions:
Bob Huffman, President and CEO, First District Association
Sheryl Meshke, Co-President and CEO, Associated Milk Producers, Inc.
Tom Murphy, President, Brewster Cheese
Declan Roche, Chief Commercial Officer, Foremost Farms USA
Scott Sexton, Chairman & CEO, Dairy.com
Greg Siegenthaler, Vice President, Milk Marketing and Supply Chain, Grande Cheese
Seth Teply, President & CEO, Tetra Pak US & Canada
Renée R. Peets, Sr. Vice President, Procurement North America, Kraft Heinz
IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board
Director Addition:
Nancy Dowling, Vice President, General Counsel, Public and Scientific Affairs North America, Danone North America
Mike Neu, Senior Vice President, Food Cultures & Enzymes, Chr. Hansen, Inc.
IDFA Ingredients Board
Director Additions:
Robert Chesler, CEO, United Dairymen of Arizona (UD of AZ)
Yann Connan, VP Ingredients, Lactalis
Tim Galloway, CEO, Galloway Company
David Lenzmeier, CEO, Milk Specialties Global
Daragh Maccabee, CEO, Idaho Milk
Marshall Reece, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Associated Milk Producers, Inc.
Auke Zeilstra, CEO, North America, FrieslandCampina Ingredients North America, Inc.
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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 3.3 million jobs that generate $41.6 billion in direct wages and $753 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.
IDFA Media Contact
Matt Herrick
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs & Communications