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Careers > Careers
in Dairy Science |
A sampling of careers of
alumni
Over 1000 students have received B.S., M.S., and/or Ph.D degrees in Dairy Science from South Dakota State University. These graduates have developed very successful careers and have the served the dairy industry around the country and in various parts of the world very effectively. Following is a small sampling of Dairy Science alumni and a description of their accomplishments.
M.S. Dairy Production, 2000
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 2002
Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Dept of Animal Sci, Food, Nutrition
Carbondale, IL.
After completing his Ph.D Amer joined Clemson University as a Post-Doc working with Dr. Jenkins. He set up a continuous culture system to study the effect of dilution rate and pH on the conversion of stable isotopically labeled oleic and elaidic acids to trans monoenes by mixed ruminal microorganisms. In addition to that, he also worked with batch cultures of mixed ruminal microorganisms to study the biohydrogenation of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids and their effect on trans monoenes formation. Since moving to Clemson, in 2003, he submitted 2 papers to the Journal of Dairy Science. In 2004 he accepted his current position of Assistant Professor at Carbondale.
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Troy Ammann, Wilmot,
SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1990
Current Position: Director of Cheese Operations. Davisco Foods International, Le Sueur, MN.
After graduation from SDSU, Troy started as a management trainee for a large producer of Italian type cheese. He progressed from that position to various production supervisor/manager positions in both cheese and whey processing. After seven years in those types of positions, he spent 3 years doing technical service work on the supply side of the industry for a cheese ingredient supplier and a major cheese equipment manufacturer. Following that, he accepted a position with Davisco Foods International as Director of Cheese Operations. In that capacity, he oversees manufacturing, quality programs, and sales of cheese from the three manufacturing facilities of the company. While a student at SDSU, Troy was a member of a dairy products judging team. In 2005 Troy was elected President of the North Central Cheese Industries Association.
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Chad Anderson, Windom, MN
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1996
Current position: Plant Manager, Milk and Cultured Products, Safeway, Chikamas, OR.
After graduation in 1996 Chad started with Safeway Inc. in Bellevue, WA as a management trainee. During his career with Safeway he has worked at various ice cream and milk plants in Washington, Colorado, and Oregon. He worked as a production supervisor in both the ice cream and milk plants in Denver, Co. He then moved to Moses Lake, WA where he held the positions of Plant Superintendent and then Plant Manager. He is currently the Plant Manager of Safeway’s milk and culture product plant located outside of Portland in Clackamas, OR. Chad is currently a board member of the Oregon Dairy Industries organization.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1991.
Current position: Plant Manager, First District Association, Litchfield,
MN.
Doug Anderson has worked at First District Association (FDA) his entire career.
He started in June 1991 as a Lab Assistant for a special whey product that
was being developed at FDA. He combined laboratory efforts between outside
customer lab and FDA lab over the next two years. He was promoted to Lab Manager
in charge of lab functions and plant quality assurance in 1994. In 1997 Doug
was promoted to Production Manager; responsibilities included all manufacturing
processes and covered efficiencies, yields, quality, new projects to improve
or increase capacities. In 2001 he was promoted to Plant Manager. His responsibilities
included all processing. In 2006 the plant produced 121 million lbs of Cheddar
cheese, 21 million lbs of WPC, and 31 million lbs of lactose production. Doug
is also responsible for Projects and Services to include maintenance, electrical,
waste water, outside contractors. Other duties include working with City administration;
Minnesota Pollution Control; DNR; and Minnesota Safety council. Doug has also
served as President of North Central Cheese Industries Association.
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Terry Anderson, Centerville, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1982
Current Position: Senior Vice President of Production Technical Services. Leprino Foods Co., Denver, CO
Upon graduation from SDSU, Terry worked for Kraft Foods as a Food Technologist in the Blackfoot, ID plant. In 1984, he moved to Green Bay, WI to assume the role of Production Specialist for Kraft. Terry went to work for Leprino Foods Company in Denver, CO in 1988 and was the Director of Technical Services – Cheese Production for 14 years. During this time, he served as a member of the 3-A Standards Committee. He was promoted to Vice President of Production Operations in March 2002, a position he held through 2003. In January, 2004 Terry became Senior Vice President of Production Technical Services, the position he currently holds.
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Chris Austin, Woodstock, IL
M.S. Dairy Production, 1990
Current Position: Quality Control Lab Technician. Dean Foods, Harvard, IL
After graduation from SDSU, Chris worked in feed and forage analysis for SDSU
and then was a herdsmen on various dairy farms in South Dakota, Illinois, and
Wisconsin, where he met his wife. He joined Dean Foods in Harvard, IL in 1998
in the Quality Assurance department. His primary responsibilities included
testing of raw milk, finished product, and sanitation testing. The Harvard,
IL processes more than 10 million pounds of milk weekly into fluid and cultured
products.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1989
Current Position: Quality Control Manager, Dean Foods, Sioux Falls, SD
After graduation from SDSU, Todd worked for Prairie Farms Dairy for 2 years as Quality Control Manager. During the 2 years, he worked at the milk plant in Carlinville, Illinois and the ice cream plant in Decatur, Illinois. Todd returned to South Dakota in 1991 and began his career as Quality Control Manager for Lakeside Dairy in Sioux Falls, which was later purchased by Dean Foods.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1985
Current Position: Quality Assurance Manager, Valley Queen Cheese Factory. Milbank, SD
Kirk is currently employed at Valley Queen Cheese Factory as the Quality Assurance Manager. Prior to this position he was an Instructor/Dairy Plant Manager in the Dairy Science Department at SDSU. He started his dairy career at Kraft R&D working as a Scientist at the Technology Center in Glenview, IL. Throughout his career he has been active in FFA and currently helps coach the Milbank dairy foods team.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1975
Current Position: Global Technical Service Manager, Schreiber Foods, Green Bay, WI
Larry has worked for Schreiber Foods since 1977. He started in the production plant and then moved to R&D and worked as a research scientist and research manager for 22 years before moving to the Purchasing department. He is currently working in the Purchasing departments of the Global Trade & Development Division. Major responsibilities include food safety of the Schreiber supplier network, technical resource on natural cheese issues, monitoring supplier compliance to Schreiber requirements, food safety audits of supplies, and technical development of cost savings with the supplier network. Larry is also responsible for training on cheese & dairy, and for the certification of cheese graders. Larry and a colleague at Schreiber were awarded a US patent on a cheese fractionation process in 2004.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1990
Current Position: Plant Manager, Cargill Kitchen Solutions, Mason City, IA.
Since graduation Daryl has been a QA Tech, QC Manager, Production Supervisor, Assistant Plant Manager and a Superintendent for various companies. He has lived in California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and has worked with ice cream, fluid milk, cultured dairy products and egg manufacturing. He is currently holding the title of Plant Manager with Sunny fresh for the last three years. Sunny Fresh Foods is a further egg processing company. Daryl was involved with the green field construction of our plant in Mason City Iowa.
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Chris Blase, Madison, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1990.
Current position: Manager of Manufacturing. Daisy Brand. Dallas, TX.
After graduation from SDSU, Chris began working for Leprino Foods in various production roles. He spent three of his ten years at Leprino in the Technical Service Group. In 2000 Chris moved to Daisy Brand, located in Dallas, TX. Daisy Brand is a cultured dairy products manufacturer. At Daisy Brand Chris is responsible for manufacturing and procurement.
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Daryl D. Boddicker, Parkston, SD
M.S. Dairy Manufacturing,
1965
M.S. Biochemistry, 1967
Current Position: partner, Venture Capital Group, CA.
After graduation from SDSU,
Daryl D. Boddicker joined Kraft Foods in 1967 at Kraft’s Cream Cheese
plant in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He progressed through various plant assignments
and in 1975 was appointed National Production Manager for Refrigerated Products.
In that capacity he had production responsibility for all Natural and Process
Cheese products in the U. S. In 1977 Mr. Boddicker was named Plant Manager at
the Buena Park, California plant. Here he had responsibility for the production
of all grocery products distributed and sold in the western United States. He
returned to Chicago Headquarters in late 1979 and was named Director, Operations
Planning. Mr. Boddicker progressed through several management positions and
was named Group Vice President and President of Operations and Technology. In
this capacity he had responsibility for all procurement, production and distribution
for 30+ U. S. plants and Research and Development worldwide. In 1988 Mr. Boddicker
joined Kraft Foodservice progressing to Executive Vice President of Marketing
and Logistics. While at Kraft Foodservice he along with three other management
personnel and Clayton Dublier and Rice purchased the business from Kraft/Philip
Morris in l994. In 1996 Kraft Foodservice was renamed Alliant Foodservice headquartered
in Deerfield, Illinois. While at Kraft/Alliant Foodservice Mr. Boddicker was
involved in growing the business from $3.5 billion in sales to $7 billion through
internal growth and acquisitions (20). During this time income from operations
grew four fold. In October 1998 Mr. Boddicker retired from Alliant to devote
more time to family and several board positions.
Mr. Boddicker was born and raised on a Dairy farm has a B. S. in Dairy Science
and a M.S. in Biochemistry from South Dakota State University. He also attended
Harvard’s Advanced Management Program in 1984 and in 1986 Harvard’s
Strategic Marketing Management Program.
While at Kraft he was recognized with the Kraft Merit Award, the company’s highest employee recognition. Mr. Boddicker led the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association as Chairman in 1994. NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) presented him with a Doctorate of Foodservice Award in 1995.
Mr. Boddicker is currently
working with a Venture Capital Group on a project to develop a large cheese
plant in the Central Valley of California.
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Derek Bowen, Belize, Central America
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1992
Current Position: Culture Foods Supervisor, Wells Dairy. Le Mars, IA
Derek has worked at Well’s Dairy for 11 years in the Ice cream and cultured dairy foods businesses. He started as a lab technician in the ice cream department and was promoted to lead lab tech, then supervisor trainee. His job duties included startup and startup inspection, sanitation, new product test runs, raw and finished product evaluation, writing and implementing SOP’s, trouble shooting, employee training and evaluation and more. He was promoted to Cultured Food Supervisor where his additional responsibilities include inventory control, raw and finished product ordering, equipment specification, system design and project management.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1992
Current Position: Senior Research Scientist, Schreiber Foods. Green Bay, WI.
After completing his MS at SDSU, Randy worked as Quality Assurance Supervisor for Davisco Foods in Lake Norden, SD for 2 years. He then attended Cornell University, Ithaca, NY and earned a Ph.D in Food Science. His specialization was in microfiltration membrane processing, along with a 6 month internship at Nestle Research Center in Switzerland. Randy’s Ph.D work at Cornell resulted in two US patents on microfiltration applications. He has worked as a Research Scientist at Schreiber Foods since 1999 in the Imitation, Process, and Natural cheese groups with responsibilities that include new product development, formula optimization, ingredient development, process development and optimization, nutritional labeling, and patents. Randy and a colleague at Schreiber were awarded a US patent on a cheese fractionation process in 2004. Other activities include serving on the Dairy Management Inc. project advisory board and on the Schreiber College Recruiting team.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1958.
Current position: Retired.
After graduation from SDSU, Ken worked for Lakeside Dairy in Sioux Falls, SD; Foremost Industrial electro dialysis in Appleton, WI; Fairmont Foods in Lincoln, NE; and Maple Island in Wanamingo, MN. In 1968 he moved to Sulphur Springs, TX to assume management of AMPI drying and evaporating plant. Ken was instrumental in moving the plant into liquid blending of products including the first plant in the South to produce sweetened condensed milk. Under Ken’s leadership the plant manufactured specialty products to specifications for most major food and dairy operations in the South and Southeast, such as Kraft, M&M Mars, Daisy Brand, Dannon, Yoplait, Borden, etc. In 1993 Ken was promoted to Assistant Division manager for all production facilities of AMPI in the Southern Region. Ken retired in 1996 and resides in Sulphur Springs, TX.
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M.S. Dairy Production, 1985
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 1989
Current Position: Vice President of Nutrition, Agri-King, Inc. Fulton, IL
After completing his Ph.D. at SDSU, Dave was a Research Dairy Scientist with the Agriculture Research Service of USDA at Beltsville, MD where he researched the energy metabolism of dairy cows when fed high fat diets using the respiration chambers at the Energy Metabolism Unit. He then joined Cargill, Inc., as a Dairy Innovation Development Manager researching and designing new feeding systems and products. He moved to Agri-King, Inc. in 1997 as a Consulting Dairy Nutritionist. His current responsibilities include managing the Nutrition department, product development and formulation, sales force training, research and development through field trials, implementation of new nutritional technologies and concepts for formulating rations, and nutrition consulting with clients. Dave received the ADSA National Milk Producers Federation “Richard M. Hoyt” award in recognition of his graduate research at SDSU.
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Michael Christians, Twin Brooks, SD
B.S. Dairy Production, 1984
Current Position: Account Manager, Degussa Corp, Watertown, SD
Since graduation Michael has worked in the area of Dairy Nutrition with Land O Lakes, Standard Nutrition and Degussa Corporation. In his current position he is responsible for the advancement of amino acid nutrition in lactating dairy cattle. In his current position with Degussa Corporation he is responsible for sales of amino acids in the upper Midwest.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1974
Current Position: Dairy Business Consultant, Cypher Dairy Consulting. Hartford, SD.
Mike spent the first
three years after graduation from SDSU as an Assistant County Agent in Webster,
SD. He began his career with with Land O’ Lakes
in 1977. He was a Dairy Rep for 6 years working, with producers on milk quality
and procuring new customers. He managed the Sioux Falls receiving station
for 3 years. For 6 years Mike was a Dairy Production consultant, working
with dairy nutrition and production management. In 1983 he became a
Dairy Business Specialist for Land O’ Lakes. In this position he worked
with producers on business planning, cost analysis, expansion planning, facility
planning. In 2007 Mike began his own dairy consulting business. Mike has
held offices with the South Dakota Fieldsmen’s
Assoc. and is a past President of the South Dakota Dairy Association.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1985
Current Position: General Manager, Green Meadows Cheese and Whey Products. Hull, IA
Following graduation from SDSU Tim started his dairy industry career with Land O’ Lakes, Inc. first as a Manager Trainee and Production Supervisor at the Faribault, MN cheese plant and later as a Lab Supervisor and Cheese Department Supervisor at the Pine Island, MN facility. In 1988 he moved to Milbank, SD and over a 17 year tenure served in a number of different positions for Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. Those responsibilities included Operations Manager, VP of Manufacturing and as Cheese Plant Manager working closely as a key supplier to Kraft Foods, Inc. In January 2005 Tim began a new position with CPS Scherping of Winsted, MN as a Cheese Technologist and Sales Representative. The company designs and fabricates specialized cheese making equipment for the dairy industry. In 2007 the company became a part of Tetra Pak and Tim was promoted to Senior Cheese Technologist and Sales. In 2008 Tim took on an opportunity as General Manager for a newly established company in Hull, IA, Green Meadows Cheese and Whey Products, where he is charged with setting up of a new cheese and whey operation and development of markets.
Tim is a past board member and 1996 President of the North Central Cheese
Industries Association board of directors and a past member of the South Dakota
Dairy Association board of directors. He has served as a Cheese Judge for the
1995 and 2003 United States Championship Cheese Contests, the 1998 World Cheese
Contest and as Assistant Chief Judge for the 2005 United States Championship
Cheese Contest.
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M.S. Dairy Production, 1971
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 1973
Current Position:
President, UAS Laboratories, Eden Prairie, MN
www.uaslabs.com
Dr. Dash began working for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture
as Food & Drug Specialist in 1973 and later became Director of Food and
Drug. In 1979 he established UAS laboratories, a probiotic/ biotech company
in Minneapolis, MN that manufactures and markets probiotic raw material and
finished products worldwide. He has set quality control standard for probiotics
that is used around the world. He commercialized the acid resistant and bile
resistant Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 strain. He has published many scientific
and popular articles and authored books on probiotics, including “A Consumer’s
Guide to Probiotics”, which was published in 2005. He has been a featured
speaker on probiotics at international symposia. Dr. Dash is recognized as a
probiotic pioneer for his many contributions to the probiotic industry.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1988
Current Position: Senior Account Manager. J. Mannheimer, Inc., Allen, TX
After graduating from SDSU Chuck worked in the dairy industry as an ingredient supplier to the Grade A cultured products industry in the western US and Canada. He serviced dairy cultures and stabilizers for yogurt, sour cream, and Cottage cheese. Since 1995 Chuck has been territory manager in the savory food flavors industry and is currently living in Dallas, TX. While at SDSU, Chuck was a member of the Dairy Club and was on the Cattle Judging Team for two years.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1997
Current Position: Production Team Leader. Schreiber Foods. St. Louis, MO
Since graduation Jon has worked for the Schreiber Food Company in several locations and in several capacities. During 1997-98 he was team advisor at the Monett plant in Missouri. In 1998-99 Jon was the formulations team leader for the Process cheese plant in Carthage, MO and during 2000-2002 he became the Process cheese singles team leader at the same plant. In 2004 Jon assumed the role of Production Team Leader in the new Cream Cheese acquisition in St. Louis. His responsibilities include overseeing the daily production operations. Jon has been recognized for his services to Schreiber through various awards including, Team Advisor of the year and productivity award of the year. At SDSU, Jon was a member of the National Champion Dairy Products Judging Team and was overall high individual in the contest.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1981
M.S. Dairy Production, 1985
Current Position: Professor of Animal Sciences and Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois. Champaign, IL
Dr. Drackley received his Ph.D. in Nutritional Physiology from Iowa State University in 1989, and joined the faculty of the University of Illinois in 1989. Drackley's research program centers on nutrition and metabolism of transition cows, metabolism in the liver of ruminant animals, lipid utilization and metabolism in domestic animals, factors affecting fatty acid composition of bovine milk fat, and aspects of calf nutrition and management. Drackley has edited 2 books and authored 1 book, 3 book chapters, 78 scientific articles in refereed journals and over 150 abstracts, technical reports, articles in conference proceedings, and popular press articles. He has trained over 20 graduate students. He is a member of several professional and honorary societies, including the American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, and the American Society of Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Drackley was awarded the 1997 Agway, Inc. Young Scientist Award from the American Dairy Science Association, the 1998 College Award for Excellence in Research from the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the 1998 Young Scholar Award from the American Dairy Science Association Foundation, the 2000 Mitchell Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Research from the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, and the 2002 American Feed Industry Award for Excellence in Dairy Cattle Nutrition Research from the American Dairy Science Association. He is the Past-President of the Midwest Branch of the American Dairy Science Association and is active in the affairs of the American Dairy Science Association. Drackley resides in Champaign, IL with his wife, Janelle, and three sons, Patrick, Michael, and Andrew.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1980.
Current position: Partner in Dunn Dairy, LLP, Vale, SD.
Dan has been involved with a family farm with his father and brother since 1980. Currently they milk 400 cows and farm 1200 acres with approximately ½ under irrigation. His main responsibilities have been managing the dairy since 1980. He has served on the Dairy Herd Improvement Association local and state boards. In 1989 Dan won the SD Outstanding Young Farmer award. He has been awarded the friends of FFA from the Newell chapter. He continues to help with the dairy cattle judging and other activities in the FFA Newell chapter. He is currently Vice President of the Central Plains Dairyman Association.
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Basil Eastwood, Round Hill, VA
M.S. Dairy Production, 1960.
Current position: Retired Program Leader, US Department of Agriculture-Cooperative
State Research, Education, Extension Service, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Eastwood is concluding a career of forty three years eight months in 2007. Dr. Eastwood received his B.S. in Dairy Production from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Following receipt of his MS degree at SDSU, he obtained a PhD in dairy cattle genetics at Michigan State and was Extension Dairy Specialist for two years at the University of Massachusetts. Following fifteen years in Extension at Iowa State University working with the dairy record program and genetic improvement of dairy cattle, he became National Program Leader-Dairy, first with USDA Extension Service and then in the current merged agency, USDA-CSREES. This agency handles much of the Federal funding for agricultural research and education at the Land Grant Universities and other colleges and universities throughout the nation. In 2006 Dr. Eastwood served as the team leader for the CSREES program review of the SDSU Dairy Science department.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1979
M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1982
Current Position: VP of Quality Assurance/Food Technology, Wells Dairy, Le Mars, IA
Rich has been with Wells’ Dairy Inc. since 1982 starting out as a Lab Tech in the Le Mars Milk plant assuming the position of Quality Assurance Manager in 1983 for the WBB Ice Cream Plant working responsible for Quality Assurance and some Product Development. In 1988 he became Corporate Quality Assurance Manager taking responsibility for Quality Assurance for the 4 mfg plants. In 1990 he was promoted to Director of Quality Assurance until 1998 when he took a new position as Director of Food Technology for Wells’ Dairy. In Dec 1998, Rich became Vice President of Quality Assurance/Food Technology. He has held that position since 1998.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1999
Current position: Custom dryer manager, Davisco Foods International. Lake Norden, SD
Jason has been the Custom Dryer manager with Davisco Foods since graduating from SDSU in the Spring 1999. He was initially involved in a hands-on training program, which allowed him to see each process step in the factory. He is now involved with scheduling the dryer and keeping it in production. The company does a variety of custom products which include: proteins, starches, maltodextrins and in some cases a tree syrup. They have recently installed one of the few Spray Cook Starch systems in the United States. The spray lances in this process actually allows for cooking and agglomerating starch granules in the same step.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1990
Current position: Director of Operations, Rochester Cheese, Rochester, MN
Gene has been involved with different aspects of the food industry for the last 13 years. During his career, he worked as a Production Supervisor for two years, Quality Control Manager for four years, Plant Manger for four years, and currently is employed as Director of Operations for Rochester Cheese. A significant amount of time has been spent doing R&D work formulating American and Italian cheese blends for baking and sauce applications. His job has taken him to several countries in Europe for cheese and ingredient procurement. He was elected to the Board of Directors for the North Central Cheese Industries Association for the last six years served as President the last year of his term.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1977
Current position: Owner, Flavor Hut Inc., and Chicago Designer Cheesecake, Wasco, IL.
After graduating, Terry was in food ingredient sales for several companies with emphasis on flavors for dairy, candy, and many other food products. In 1982 Terry started selling flavors and enzymes for an Irish company. These products were used in animal feed and the fuel alcohol industries. In 1984 he started his own company, Flavor Hut Corp. The flavors he manufactures are used in animal feed and pet food. Two years ago he started baking cheesecakes for food service and mail order businesses.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1998.
Current position: Director of Ingredient Marketing, Midwest Dairy Association. St. Paul, MN.
Jen worked at Kraft since 2000, where she was in the Natural Cheese Productivity group working on natural cheese chunks and shredded cheese. She also led the productivity initives of the process cheese items within the Naturals category. Her duties included formulations, plant trials, pilot plant work and quality issues. Her job is never boring. It seems that she had different challenges every day. She also volunteered teaching Junior Achievement classes in Chicago and assists with the Regional and National Products Judging Contests. In 2007 Jen moved to St. Paul, MN to work with the Midwest Dairy Association as the Director of Ingredient Marketing. In this position she works with the dairy industry to assist with ingredient applications of dairy products. Jen was dairy princess while at SDSU and a member of the 1997 dairy products judging team. She grew up on a dairy farm in Goodwin, SD.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1992.
Current position: Director of Technical Services Dairy Farmers of America, Zumbrota, MN.
After graduation from SDSU, Troy started as a Management Trainee for Mid-America Dairymen (now Dairy Farmers of America). He progressed from that position to various Production Supervisor/Manager positions in cheese, shred and whey processing at various locations within Mid-America Dairymen (now DFA). After five years in those types of positions, he spent 3 years working for Land O’ Lakes in Perham MN assisting with the start up of a whey isolate operation. Following that he took a job with Bongards creameries where he worked on many projects including a patented Mozzarella project. Troy then went on to be the Manager of the DFA Zumbrota plant for the next five years and then accepted the Director of Technical Services position for DFA. While a student at SDSU, Troy was a member of the National Champion Dairy Products Judging team. In 2004 Troy was elected President of the North Central Cheese Industries Association.
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B.S. Dairy Production and Animal Husbandry, 1954.
Current position: Retired Dairy Farmer
John graduated from SDSU with a double major in Dairy Production and Animal Husbandry in 1954. By this time he had already developed a strong commitment to the dairy industry. This combined with his leadership skills (he was president of the Student Body at SDSU), loyalty to SDSU, commitment to education and the desire to strive for excellence formed the critical ingredients for pursuing a path of excellence in the profession for the next fifty years.
In the spirit of his belief “Holsteins are the most important part of my life, next to my family….” John’s professional achievements can be demonstrated primarily in his efforts in the breeding and development of the Holstein breed of cows. He accomplished this through his own herd and later as a Holstein Association classifier for 14 years and technical supervisor of classifiers for 2 years. John has been a member of the South Dakota and National Holstein Association for more than 50 years. He served as President of the State Association and as a Director of the National Association. Through these and other activities John has traveled extensively around the world for judging and classifying Holsteins, delivering papers, and marketing embryos and breeding stock. Genetics of a partnership-owned bull have been sold to virtually every country in the world where Holstein cattle exist. His outstanding professional achievements ultimately led to opportunities for service to the state through appointments to the South Dakota Conservation Commission board and the South Dakota Farm Service Agency committee, the latter by the USDA.
He has supported the Dairy and Animal Science judging teams through funding. These judging teams depend on such funding for their activities. The success of these teams has been well recognized nationally. Most importantly, John has funded an Embryo Transfer Program at the Dairy Research and Training Facility at SDSU. This has allowed for the training of students in the area of Embryo Transfer as well as to develop high quality dairy animals in the herd. John was also a past member of the SDSU Foundation board. It is also noteworthy that John and his wife have held season tickets for SDSU basketball for the last 30 years and have attended most home games. He has further supported the SDSU athletics program by funding a perpetual athletic scholarship, of which Adam Timmerman (now with the NFL) was a recipient.
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Kenneth I. Gross, Madison, SD
M.S. Dairy Production, 1952.
Current position: Retired Dairyman, Valleyford, WA.
Ken grew up on the Gross family farm in South Dakota where his grandpa had brought some of the first Registered Holsteins to the area in 1906. Registered Holsteins and the dairy industry have been part of his life ever since those early years. As a young man he was active in 4-H and FFA, having one of the first 4-H projects in his county and winning a trip to the National 4-H Congress at Chicago in 1939 for his state championship demonstration. He served as state 4-H President in 1940 and in 1941 he was honored by the Holstein Friesian Association of America as the State Champion 4-H Holstein Calf Club boy – similar to the current DJM program.
Ken received his B.S in Agricultural Education in 1948 and M.S. in Dairy Science in 1952. He was a student body class president, active on the dairy judging teams and involved in numerous other organizations, while working at the college dairy. WWII interrupted his schooling and Ken served in the Army K-9 corps. It was also during the war years that he married Molly (also an SDSU alum), his wife of 61 years. They had met during their freshman year of college. Following college, he taught vo-ag for a year in Parker, SD, and then served as Director of Inspections and later as Extension Dairy Specialist in South Dakota. In the early 1950’s Ken started to dairy on his own and began developing a herd of Registered Holsteins. This small herd was only in operation for a couple of years but left a long term impact through the likes of Whitey K-G Pabst Brule (VG) who has several all state offspring and a grandson in A.I. and Marian K-G Beier Brule (VG) who became a state fat class leader. These, and other animals Ken bred, were the foundation of a herd that became the high BAA herd in the state.
The family moved to Washington in 1954 when Ken accepted the position of King County Agent. He conducted dairy management, breeding and forage education programs for producers in the area and was responsible for 4-H dairy programs, including working with the Enumclaw Spring Dairy Show volunteers. In 1956 Ken moved to Pullman and became Washington State Extension Dairy Specialist. In that capacity he was responsible for statewide DHIA programs and heavily involved in early efforts to incorporate the Washington State DHIA in 1957. He also developed and conducted numerous educational workshops and publications and judged shows throughout the state.
From 1962 through 1967 Ken took a WSU US/AID assignment working in Pakistan helping establish, organize, develop and operate the Department of Agricultural Extension at the West Pakistan Agricultural University. He made many international friends and continued to spread the word about the United States dairy industry.
Upon returning from Pakistan in 1967, Ken became Area Extension Dairy Agent and Chairman of the Spokane County Extension Office. While in this role he led the effort to establish the first electronic DHIA testing lab west of the Mississippi. The lab served Northeast and Central Washington and was the model for the statewide lab that followed. He also pioneered the Washington Small Farm Extension Program in 1976 and with the County Commissioners established the Spokane County Agricultural Center in 1979. Ken also hosted many international visitors.
The many projects Ken led for the benefit of others resulted in his being named an Honorary State Farmer by the Washington State FFA in 1976 and receiving the National Agricultural Agents Association Distinguished Service Award in 1982.
Upon retiring from WSU in 1982 Ken and Molly spent another two years in Pakistan with a private consulting firm before retiring to Mica View Farm in Valleyford, WA. On the farm Ken raised Registered Holstein replacement heifers, enjoyed grandchildren and served on several volunteer boards.
In 2004, Ken and Molly moved into town where they remain active and follow Registered Holsteins through the next generations. Ken is a lifetime member of the Holstein Association USA and an honorary lifetime member of the Inland Empire Holstein Club. He was a buyer at the Carnation dispersal in 2004. In 2005, Ken was inducted to the Washington State Purebred Dairy Cattle Association Hall of Fame. Ken’s brother John (1954 graduate) has also been a long-time contributor to the dairy industry. Ken and Molly’s son, Randy is the 2005-2006 President of the National Holstein Association and their grandson, Randy Jr. is managing a 3000-cow dairy in Flandreau, SD.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1985
M.S. Dairy Production, 1987.
Current position: Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular and Cellular
Biology, Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, TX.
After completing his M.S. at SDSU, Darryl went on to receive a Ph.D. in Animal
Science the Pennsylvania State University in 1991. Dr. Hadsell then conducted
Post-Doctoral studies in the Department Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor
College on Medicine. In 1996, Dr Hadsell accepted a faculty position in the
Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. He has since maintained
an active and vigorous research program in mammary gland biology with studies
focusing on early developmental mechanisms in relationship to breast cancer,
and more recently on lactation persistence and the concept of cellular aging.
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B.S. Dairy
Production, 1956
M.S. Economics, 1964.
Current position: Retired Director of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, Fairbanks, AK.
After being retired since 1998 from a 40 year career in Extension, Hollis Hall assumed the acting position of the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks, Alaska. He served as Extension Dairyman in South Dakota and later as Director of the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service. During the 80's he served in USDA in Congressional Affairs. He retired in 1998 from the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he served as Director of the Alaska Cooperative Extension Service.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1998.
Current position: Senior Manager of Quality Assurance/ Research and Develipment,
Denali Flavors, Wayland, MI. (www.moosetracks.com)
Scott is employed with Denali Flavors, Inc (Wayland, MI) as the Senior Manager of Quality Assurance / Research & Development. Denali is one of the leading inventors and marketers of specialty-flavors for the ice cream industry, including Moose Tracks® and nearly 30 other flavors to dairies across the U.S. and Canada. Scott’s responsibilities include ensuring ingredient suppliers meet rigid quality standards of Denali, auditing supplier and customer facilities, ensuring accuracy of the ingredient statement on all products keeping current on all government regulations, developing new ice cream flavors and improving current flavors. His duties also include guiding customers through new product start-up at the customer’s facility. He also performs field audits on the customer’s ice cream to ensure that the product is being made properly.
Prior to his employment with Denali, Scott was an account manager in the Ecolab Food & Beverage division. His territory was Northeast Indiana where he served 6 customers, which were all dairy facilities. Prior to Ecolab, he worked as the sanitation manager at ConAgra Dairy Foods, Inc. This facility, located in Holland, MI manufactured Reddi – Wip. At ConAgra Dairy Scott was responsible for the development and implementation of cost-savings programs which resulted in changes that saved ConAgra time, money and led to the development of a cross-training program.
Scott’s first position after
graduation was with Leprino Foods in Waverly, NY as a supervisor trainee
(this included training in the production, processing
and whey departments). After completion of the program he was promoted to a
production supervisor at the Allendale, MI production facility. Scott and his
wife Nicky have made their home in Grand Rapids, MI since 2002.
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B.S. Dairy Ma nufacturing, 1988
Current position: Plant Manager, Kemps Marigold Foods, Rochester, MN
Mike started working for Kroger Dairy (Crossroad Farms, Indianapolis, IN) after graduation. In the years to follow, he worked all management areas of the plant which included fluid milk, water, non-dairy beverages, culture, novelties, and ice cream. He then moved to another Kroger plant (Southern Ice Cream Specialties) in 1994. He was then the production manager in the production of ice cream and novelties. In 1996, Mike moved back to Crossroads in the production manager position. In April 2000, he relocated to Rochester, MN as a plant manager producing ice cream and novelties for Kemps.
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Rich Hansen, Big Stone City, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1975.
Current position: Senior Account Manager, Ecolab, Eagan, MN.
Rich has worked at Ecolab since 1996. He manages a territory consisting of South Dakota, North Dakota and part of Minnesota doing sales and service. Prior to that he worked as a Quality Manager and Production Supervisor for a couple of large Cheese plants in the upper Midwest. Throughout his career Rich has been actively involved in the dairy industry. He has served as President of the North Central Cheese Industries Association, South Dakota Dairy Association, and the Central Plains Dairy Expo.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1993.
Current position: Quality Management, Nestle, CA.
For the last 8 years, Sue has been working for Nestlé where her assignments included the non-dairy creamer factory, the infant formula clinical nutrition factory, and the Nestlé USA corporate Quality Management. Currently, She is on assignment in Vevey, Switzerland, where she is working on a global project to improve the performance and operational efficiency of Nestlé's businesses worldwide in the quality management area. While she was at the non-dairy creamer factory, Sue worked as a Food Technologist, where she developed two line extension products for the fat free flavored non-dairy creamer line.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1995
Current position: Plant Manager, Glanbia Foods USA, Twin Falls, ID.
After graduation Tim started as a management trainee for Mid America Dairyman and after a move to Fergus Falls, MN, was promoted to Cheese Plant Supervisor. In the spring of 1997 he moved to Idaho to become a supervisor at a large cheese plant. In 2004 and after seven years as supervisor and Production Manager at the Glanbia Foods Inc, Gooding, Idaho cheese plant he was promoted to Plant Manager of the Twin Falls, ID, Glanbia Foods Inc., cheese plant. Twin Falls Cheese supplies natural 40 lb Cheddar block to shredding and slicing companies around the world and has been the recipient of several awards.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1968
Current position: Sr. Account Manager. Rhodia, Inc., Hamilton, sq., NJ.
After graduation in 1968, Larry spent four years in the Air Force. He worked at Steffen’s Dairy, now Hiland Dairy, for 12 years. He started their QC Dept. and then moved to sales and spent the last 5 years as Production Manager. Larry joined NORDICA International in 1985 and began his sales career marketing cultures, coagulant, media, stabilizer, and shelf life extenders to the dairy industry.
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Greg Holtquist, Big Stone City, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1972
Current position: Principal, Dairy Ingredients, Inc., Davisburg, MI.
Greg is presently a principal with Dairy Ingredients, Inc. in Davisburg Mi. Dairy Ingredients, Inc., is a Manufacturer / Supplier of stabilizers and emulsifiers and dessert solids for the dairy industry. He has been with the company since 1985 and is V.P. of sales. His first job in 1972 was quality control manger with Kraft Foods in Stockton, IL. From 1974 to 1977 Greg was quality control manager in Toledo, Ohio with Driggs Dairy / Toledo Milk Processing. From 1977 to 1985 he was with Klenzade / Ecolabs and was a Regional Sales Manager in Chicago as his last job with them when he resigned and helped start up Dairy Ingredients, Inc. in Michigan.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 2003
Current position: Applications Scientist, Danisco. New Century, KS.
Jana holds a B.S. in Food Science from SDSU and a M.S. in Dairy Science, also from SDSU. After completing her Master’s degree, Jana began working as a Production Manager of a Process cheese singles department for Schreiber Foods in Logan, Utah. She was promoted after a year on the job in Utah to a R&D position working as a research scientist specializing in Cream cheese applications based in Saint Louis, MO. In May 2005, she began working for Danisco USA, in the Kansas City, KS area, as an Applications Scientist specializing in frozen desserts.
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Kristin (Sharp) Johnson, Bath, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing 1999
Current position: Claims Analyst, Mutual of Omaha. Aberdeen, SD
Kristin started as an agricultural loan officer for a bank in Webster, SD immediately after graduation. Her husband chose to attend college and they needed to move back to Aberdeen, SD. From there she worked in the non-profit world raising money for three years. After that she chose a different career path, taking a job with Mutual of Omaha, at their claims/customer service center in Aberdeen. Kristin has moved up in the company and is now a Claims Analyst. She mostly works with Medicare/Medicaid, handling their red tape and helping out customers. If they ever choose to leave Aberdeen, then she would love to get back into the Dairy Manufacturing area. While at SDSU Kristin was crowned Dairy Princess.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing 1985
Current position: Vice President for Manufacturing, Valley Queen Cheese Factory. Milbank, SD
Lance started with Valley Queen in July of 1995 as assistant operations manager, and has served as production manager for approximately 2 years. He became Vice President of Manufacturing in 2007. Prior to Valley Queen he was Director of Quality Control for Cass Clay Creamery, Fargo, ND and served in that capacity for 4 ½ years. He worked for Anderson Chemical Company out of Litchfield, MN as a territory manager for approximately 3 years serving the territories of SD, ND and MN. His career in the dairy field started with the USDA-Dairy Division as a resident grader/inspector stationed at Land O’ Lakes, Perham, MN.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1989.
Current position: District Sales /Technical Manager, Crest Foods Co., Inc.,
Ashton, IL.
After graduation from SDSU Mark was Quality Assurance Manager for Sinton Dairy in Colorado Springs, CO. until 1995. While there he established Colorado Dairy Tech Scholarship while living in Colorado. He has worked for Crest Foods since 1995, first as Technical Service Manager and now as District Sales / Technical Manager.
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Daryl Kleinschmit, Hartington, NE
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 2006.
Current position: Dairy/Beef Nutritionist, Agri-King, Inc., Fulton, IL.
Daryl’s Ph.D. dissertation was titled Utilization of amino acids for milk protein synthesis by lactating dairy cows fed corn distillers grains plus solubles. After completing his Ph.D., Daryl joined Agri-King, Inc. as a Consulting Dairy and Beef Nutritionist. His responsibilities are nutrition consulting for clients, applied research and development of products and nutritional concepts, sales force training, and implementation of nutritional concepts for ration formulation. Daryl was a recipient of the John Brandt Memorial Fellowship during his Ph.D. program at SDSU.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1978.
Current position: Vice President of U.S. Market Development, Select
Sires. Plain City, OH.
Lyle earned a B.S. degree in Dairy Production in 1978. He grew up on 5-L’s Dairy Farm, Revillo, South Dakota, and began his career in the dairy industry as a field representative for Swiss Valley Farms Inc., Davenport, Iowa. Kruse joined the Select Sires family in 1981 as a sales representative in South Dakota, North Dakota and Southwestern Minnesota. In 1983, he became marketing supervisor, and, in 1986, was named general manager of Minnesota/Select Sires. He developed the member cooperative from a fledgling company into Minnesota’s A.I. market leader. In 2008 Select Sires named Lyle as vice president of U.S. market development. In this role Lyle works with Select’s 10 member-cooperatives to design growth and development strategies for all marketing and sales activities. Lyle is highly proficient in DairyCOMP 305 and Select RePRO Analysis™. He has attended Select Reproductive Solutions™ training seminars for the since 2001 and has earned the title SRS Specialist™. He was instrumental in developing herd-reproductive analysis consultations within the Minnesota/Select Sires cooperative. Kruse attended the Young Dairy Leaders Institute in 1999 and 2000 and served as judge for the 2007 National North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge. Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc., is North America’s largest A.I. organization and is comprised of 10 farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1977
Current position: Area Vice President. Ecolab, Food and Beverage Division. Egan, MN.
Neil has worked 26 years with Ecolab. His career has allowed him to work closely with many types of food processing plants in the supply of sanitation products and programs. His work experience has grown through the various positions that he has performed ranging from account manager, district manager, regional manager, corporate account manager, engineering director and area vice president. This job has allowed him the opportunity to work with all aspects of food processing. His main focus has been with the dairy markets in helping supply quality sanitation programs and technical expertise. “The college background and Dairy Science background has been very worthwhile in the growth of my career”.
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Darwin Kurtenbach, Dimmock, SD
B.S. Dairy Production, 1972
Current position: Dairy Program Administrator, South Dakota Department of Agriculture. Pierre, SD
Darwin has worked for the SD Department of Ag since 1986. He started out as the state dairy plant inspector and accepted the current position in December 1989. In November’95 he also became Program Administrator for the Plant Protection Program within Ag Services. Darwin is involved in all the inspection programs pertaining to raw milk at the farm level and finished products pertaining to all plants within the state. The program is responsible for the movement of milk and milk products instate and interstate. He has participated at the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shippers for the past 14 years and currently is starting his second six year term on the National Executive Board of this Conference. After graduation from SDSU in December 1972 with a degree in Dairy Production he dairy farmed at Dimock, S.D.with his wife and seven children.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1973.
Current position: Agri Sales Specialist, Ecolab, Yankton, SD.
After graduation in January 1973
Dick went to work for the Sioux City Health Department as a Grade a milk
inspector until November 1975. In November 1975
he joined Ecolab and has since been employed by Ecolab, Inc (30 + years). He
has worked in both Plant and Farm sales/service. For the last 10 years he has
worked in the capacity of Agri Sales Specialist, calling on dairy equipment
dealers, agriculture dealers and large dairy farms and selling detergents,
sanitizers and udder health products. Dick’s territory consists for Nebraska,
South Dakota, North Dakota and NW Iowa.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1939
Current position: Retired from University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI as chair of a section of the Enzyme Institute from 1950 to his retirement, and as Vilas Professor of Biological Science since 1966.
He has had a fruitful career in biochemistry and he has maintained close ties with his Alma Mater. Dr. Lardy received his B.S. in Agriculture from SDSU in 1939 with a joint major in Chemistry and Dairy Science. As a dairy science student he worked at the farm on early vitamin D experiments with cows. He received both his M.S. (1940) and Ph.D. (1945) in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin. He has remained there since and has served as chair of a section of the Enzyme Institute from 1950 to his retirement and as Vilas Professor of Biological Science since 1966. Dr. Lardy pioneered work on the preservation and storage of semen that has made artificial insemination in livestock practical. He is an authority in biochemistry and is recognized for his research on isolation, purification and characterization of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Dr. Lardy has more than 370 publications in major journals and books. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Paul Lewis Award in Enzyme Chemistry, American Chemical Society, 1949; Wolf Foundation Award in Agriculture, 1981; and the National Award of Agricultural Excellence, 1982. The Henry Lardy Distinguished Lecture Series in Chemistry was established in 1987 through a substantial endowment from Dr. Lardy. The purpose of the series is to bring to the campus outstanding scientists who have made significant contributions in a field of chemistry. As a Dairy Science student he was a member of the 1939 dairy products judging team.
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B.S. Dairy
Manufacturing, 1963
Current position: Retired from the United States Department of Agriculture
Dairy Grading Branch.
After graduation in March, 1963 Wayne went to work for industry, spending
the first three years in equipment sales and plant management. In 1966 he was
hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Dairy Grading, where he worked
until retiring in 1996. During his tenure with the Department he spent 6 years
as a lab technician in a milk plant in northern Minnesota, 8 years as plant
survey inspector and butter and cheese grader in the Pacific Northwest. In
1980 he was transferred to Minneapolis where he became a Supervisor of Inspectors
and in 1985 was promoted to Regional Director of the eleven Midwestern states.
In fall 1994 he was appointed as National Field Director of the Dairy Grading
Branch until retiring in 1996.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing 1996
Current position: President, DairyCareers, a Dairy.com Solution; Britton, SD
Lucas Lentsch has worked within the Dairy Industry since graduating SDSU in 1996. His career began with Good Humor – Breyers Ice Cream as a Manufacturing Supervisor. Seeing the need for a dairy specific staffing service, Lucas founded DairyCareers.com in 1999. Since that time, he’s been dedicated to streamlining the staffing process for employers and professionals that make up the Dairy Foods Industry. During the fall of 2005, DairyCareers.com was acquired by Dairy.com of Dallas, TX. Lucas has since joined Dairy.com and continues to oversee and direct the DairyCareers Business Line. His professional development is ongoing with his active participation in SDARL – South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership, Inc.
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Ph.D. Dairy Production, 1994
Current Position: Associate Professor of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, Crookston, MN
Dr Maiga joined the University of Minnesota, Crookston in January 2001 as Associate Professor of Animal Sciences. He is teaching undergraduate Animal Science courses such as Feeds & Feeding, Applied Animal Nutrition, Applied Animal Reproduction, Dairy Production, and Animal Management Systems. Prior to working at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, he was Area Dairy Specialist for 4 years with the University of Minnesota Extension Service in Becker County & the Prairie to Pine Cluster in Minnesota. He is currently the UMC Dairy Club Adviser; additionally he has minor research & outreach responsibilities in the Dept. of Animal Sciences.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1990.
Current position: Cheesemaker/Plant Manager, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese
Company, Point Reyes, CA.
Prior to joining the Dairy Science program at SDSU, Monte was a History major
at the University of South Dakota. After graduation from SDSU, he joined Maytag
Dairy Farms in Newton, IA where worked for 10 years as plant manager. He was
responsible for the Blue cheese operation of Maytag. In 2000 Monte was invited
to join the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company about 50 miles north of San
Francisco. He was charged with developing a Blue cheese. The first vat of cheese
was manufactured a month after he joined the Company. The Blue cheese and a
Blue cheese dip developed by Monte are now sold through out the country. Bob
and Dean Giacomini own the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. Milk is produced
on site in a 320-cow operation for the manufacture of Blue cheese.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1983
Current Position: Vice President of Sales and Purchasing, United Dairymen of Arizona. Tempe, AZ
Following graduation in 1983, Harold worked for Mid-America Dairymen in various managerial positions from Supervisor to Plant Manager at a number of plants in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mid-America Dairymen eventually became Dairy Farmers of America. He spent 15 years with them and in 1988 moved to Arizona to join United Dairymen of Arizona, a large regional cooperative. He has held positions of Plant Manager, Manager of Sales for the last 3 years as Vice President of Sales and Purchasing.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1988
Current Position: Senior Director, Manufacturing, Kraft Foods, Glenview, IL
Joe has worked for Kraft Foods in various capacities in manufacturing and procurement since graduation in 1988. Currently Joe is leading project Catalyst i.e., SAP design/implementation across Kraft manufacturing operations. Prior to this assignment he was the Plant Manager for Kraft Springfield, Missouri & Bentonville Arkansas operations (process cheese, natural cheese, cream cheese, macaroni & cheese and Lunchables). Other positions Joe has held include Director Procurement, Plant Manager in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin (cream cheese, non-dairy dips), Co-Manufacturing Manager (cheese division). Joe began his full-time career at Kraft in New Ulm, Minnesota cheese facility holding the positions of Business Unit Manager, Operations/Production Supervisor, Quality Supervisor and Food Technologist. Joe’s first assignments at Kraft were internships at Melrose and New Ulm, Minnesota facilities while he was attending SDSU. Joe also serves on the National FFA Foundation Board of Directors; previously he served as Chairman of the Board of Springfield, Missouri Chamber of Commerce (elect) and Boys & Girls Town of Missouri.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1992
M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1994.
Current position: Associate Professor and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education, Dairy Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.
After completing his BS and MS degrees at SDSU Lloyd went to Cornell University in Ithaca NY for a Ph.D. in Food Science, which he completed in 1999. He then joined General Mills in Minneapolis as a Research Food Scientist. In 2001 he accepted a faculty position at the University of Minnesota. He taught courses in food analysis and food protein chemistry and conducted research on cheese and other dairy products. He is also served as the director of the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center. In 2007 Lloyd moved to SDSU where he accepted the position of Associate Professor and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education. In this position he will be involved in teaching and research in the areas of cheese and dairy ingredients. He is also continuing his position as the Director of the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center. He was a member of the 1991 national champion dairy products judging team.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1969
M.S. Dairy Production, 1971
Current Position: Program Manager, Kraft Foods, Inc Technology Center. Glenview, IL.
Virgil Metzger has worked at Kraft for 31 years in the Cheese and Dairy Businesses. Managing Product Development and Processing Technology programs have been his responsibilities the last seventeen years. Prior to working in research, he was a Quality Manager and Production Supervisor in a large Cheese plant. Throughout his career, he has been involved in cheese judging and the last ten years he has served as the lead Cheddar judge for the National Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation contest and has judged in the US Championship Cheese contest.
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M.S. Dairy Production, 1957
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 1959
Current Position: Professor Emeritus, Illinois State University, Normal, IL.
Dr. Moore was the recipient of the first Ph.D degree in Dairy Science at South Dakota State University. His Ph.D dissertation was titled Physiological Studies on Bloat. Before commencing the Dairy Production program and after his B.S. in Animal Science Clarence served for 2 years (1953-1955) in the U.S. Army. After completing his M.S. he worked at the University of Hawaii (1959-1961) as Area Livestock Specialist. He spent the next 29 years Illinois State University in Normal, IL teaching and conducting research in Dairy Management, Feeding, and Animal Behavior. He also coached the Dairy Cattle Judging Teams at ISU. Clarence has served as an official dairy cattle judge at several dairy shows including the Royal Easter Guernsey Show in Sydney, Australia. Clarence retired from Illinois State University in 1989 and continued to do consulting work for Ag World Exports traveling to many different countries.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1987
M.S. Dairy Production, 1989
Current Position: Dairy Production Consultant, Land O’ Lakes, Baraboo, WI.
Ron spent his first eight years after graduation working as the Dairy Technical Support Manager for Walnut Grove Feeds, which was a part of the Cargill Feed Division. In this position he provided technical support and was involved in product development to support the sales force in the upper Midwest. He has been working for the Land O’ Lakes Feed Division since 1997. In this position he provides nutrition and management consulting to dairy producer clients in Central Wisconsin.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1975
Current Position: CEO, United Dairymen of Arizona. Tempe, AZ
Following graduation in 1975 Keith worked for Mid-America Dairymen, now Dairy Farmers of America. Within 5 years he became a plant manager. Keith worked for Mid-America for 23 years in various managerial positions from plant supervisor to plant manager in Minnesota to Wisconsin to VP of Operations out of Springfield Missouri. In 1998 he accepted the position of CEO of United Dairymen of Arizona in Tempe, AZ. UDA handles approximately 3 billion pounds of milk per year from 86 producers. Keith also serves on 6 other coops and federations as director. He is President of the Board of DairyAmerica, an association consisting of 8 cooperatives. In 2005 Keith traveled to Cuba as President of DairyAmerica to negotiate contracts to sell 30 million pounds of nonfat dry milk.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1999
Current Position: R&D Section Leader, H.P. Hood LLC. Charlestown, MA.
Following the completion of the M.S degree Manoj joined Sartori Food Corp as a part of the Product Development team. His responsibilities included modification of existing product line for food service and food ingredient segments, work with cross functional teams to develop new product prototypes, scale up laboratory prototypes to commercial scale, develop quality tests and product specifications, finished product costing and provide technical support to sales and marketing. In 2007 Manoj joined HP Hood as R&D Section Leader.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1997
Current Position: Plant Superintendent, Dean Foods, Sioux Falls, SD.
Upon graduation, Mike Noble went to work for the Kroger Company at the Crossroad Farms Dairy facility in Indianapolis, IN. He worked for Kroger for about 1.5 years then moved to Kohler Mix Specialties in White Bear Lake, MN. In 2000, an opportunity opened up at the Land O’ Lakes Milk plant in Woodbury, MN, where he worked as a plant supervisor. In 2001, Mike Noble was promoted to the plant superintendent in Sioux Falls, SD, where he is currently employed. While at SDSU, Mike was part of the 1996 Regional and National Champions Dairy Products Judging Team.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1977
Current Position: Transportation Manager. Land O’Lakes.
Roger has worked for Land O'Lakes, Inc. on the dairy side of the business for over 26 years. The last thirteen have been managing the dairy fleet. Prior to working in Transportation, I worked as a Fieldman, Management Trainee and Plant Manager. The last several years have provided interesting challenges as we have gone from the traditional tankers for milk pick up to vacuum tankers. The producers milking into on- farm tankers, than moving that milk directly to the southern markets has provided additional challenges for the transportation team.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1989
Current Position: Plant Manager, Dean Foods/Land O Lakes Milk. Sioux Falls, SD
After graduation at SDSU, Jarrod worked at Safeway Inc. for 11 Years in Ice Cream and Milk processing facilities in California, Maryland, and Colorado. His areas of responsibility were in positions including Management Trainee, Quality Control Supervisor, Production Supervisor, and Plant Superintendent. Since April of 2000, he has been working as the Plant Manager at the Dean Foods/Land O Lakes Milk Plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jarrod graduated in December of 1989 and was on the 1989 National Champion Dairy Product Judging Team coached by Dr. Bob Baer.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1992.
Current position: Senior Manager, Product Innovation, Dreyer’s Grand
Ice Cream, Inc., Oakland, CA.
After completing his M.S. in Dairy Manufacturing from SDSU, Dinakar moved to The Pennsylvania State University, for his Ph.D. in Food Science, which he completed in 1998. For his Ph.D. he worked on enzymatic modification of milk proteins to enhance functional properties and also with the annual Penn State Ice cream short course. He then joined Nestle R&D, in New Milford CT in 1998 with the Nutrition department working with infant formula and liquid nutritional products. He transferred to Food Service Beverages and dispensing systems for two years before moving to the Nestle Research Center at Lausanne Switzerland in 2003 as Product Area Coordinator for Ice cream. In this position he managed a portfolio of basic research projects in ice cream and liaison with the business and R&D Center in France. In 2006 Dinakar transferred to Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, in Oakland, CA as Senior Manager, Product Innovation.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1999
Current Position: Project Manager. DairyNet, Inc. Brookings, SD.
Mark began working for Davisco Foods International after graduation in Spring 1999. He was been involved with all aspects of the production in the whey drying operation. In 2007 he joined DairyNet Inc., a dairy consulting company as a project manager.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1994
Current Position: Owner, Sipka Dairy, Volga, SD.
After graduation Doug spent 7 months as Assistant Herdsman at Carrousel Farms in Orangeville IL, a registered Holstein farm that specializes in expensive show cattle. He then returned home for three years and was herdsman at the family farm in Volga. He then spent about a year on the road fitting cattle at various shows and sales including the World Dairy Expo. While also being a DHIA supervisor Doug purchased the current farm in 1999 and began milking in 2001. Expanding in 2004 he and his wife, Ginger, now have 70 cows. Highlights of his dairy "Sipka Holsteins" are 110.5 BAA and 2003 State Fair Premier breeder award. Doug’s dairy, “Sipka”, is named after his great grand father who emigrated from the Netherlands.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1982
Current Position: Business Development Manager, Rhodia, Inc., Madison, WI.
Dave began his career as a Technical Sales Representative for dairy starter cultures and other ingredients at Nordica International in Sioux Falls, SD after graduation. Nordica was purchased in 1989 by Rhodia Inc. (Rhone Poulenc) and relocated from Sioux Falls to Madison, WI in 1990 and merged with Marschall Products. At Rhodia he has had responsibilities for customer service, sales and marketing for cheese and fermented milk ingredients. He is married and has four children and recently became a grandfather. His wife owns and operates Dairy Connection Inc., a distribution company supplying ingredients for specialty, farmstead and home cheese manufacturers. His future plans involve acquiring the Nordica Licensing program from Rhodia and managing his own business.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1988
Current Position: Product Development Technologist / Impulse Division. Wells Dairy, Le Mars, IA.
Upon graduation from SDSU, Chad received employment at Wells Dairy in LeMars, Iowa and has worked there ever since. He started out as a Lab Technician at the North Ice Cream Plant facility and worked in that capacity for 3 years. He was then transferred to the Tech Center in the Microbiology Department and worked there for 4 years. During this time he was also cross trained in the Le Mars Milk Plant Lab and spent about a year there off and on when they needed help. In April of 1995 he was transferred to the Research and Development Department and has worked there since that time as an Associate R&D Technician, then Product Development Technician for the Vending/C-Store Division, and then in his current position of Product Development Technologist for the Impulse Division.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1998.
Current position: Technical Manager, Supplier and Distribution Quality, Genentech,
Inc., San Bruno, CA.
Devang currently works at Genentech, Inc. – a South San
Francisco based pioneering biopharmaceutical company, as a Technical Manager
in the Quality
Assurance department. He is responsible for investigating non-conformances
and deviations of raw materials that are used in the manufacture of biopharmaceutical
parenteral drugs. He is also an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA). Prior
to this position, he worked as a Quality Manager for Safeway, Inc, Milk Processing
Plant for six years where he was responsible for quality, regulatory and compliance
functions at the second largest Safeway dairy plant, processing fluid milk,
cultured buttermilk, fruit juices, drinks and bottled water. Devang was involved
in the California Dairy Industry Association while at Safeway and won first
place in judging milk at a CDIA annual meeting in 1999.
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Christine Reitsma, Kranzburg, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1993.
M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1995.
Current position: Professor of Criminal Justice, Colorado Technical University,
Sioux Falls, SD.
After graduation, Chris
was employed as a Criminalist at the South Dakota State Forensic Laboratory
in Pierre, SD specializing in trace (hair, fiber,
paint, etc.), fingerprint, tireprint, shoeprint, and physical match evidence
for almost 12 years. During that time, she became a certified Criminalist as
a Diplomate of the American Board of Criminalistics and a Certified Senior
Crime Scene Analyst with the International Association for Identification.
She then accepted a position as Professor of Criminal Justice at Colorado Technical
University in June of 2007. Along with teaching courses, she is assisting in
the design of a new Forensic Lab at the University.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing and Dairy Production, 1989
Current Position: Kingsbury County Extension Educator/Livestock, SDSU Cooperative Extension Service/State of South Dakota.
Tracey worked for the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service as the Extension Educator in Grant County, SD from 1989 to 1993. She then went to work for Land O’ Lakes as a Livestock Production Specialist. In January, 1995 Tracey returned to the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service as the Extension Educator in Grant County, and then transferred in May of 2000 to her current position as the Extension Educator/Livestock in Kingsbury County, SD. Throughout her career Tracey has served the dairy industry in South Dakota in many capacities: Advisor to the SD DHIA Board, Coach for the SD Holstein Association Quiz Bowl Team, Advisor to the SD Dairymen’s Association, Co-Coordinator/Organizer of the first Central Plains Dairy Expo, Chairman of the State 4H Dairy Cattle Show and Judging Contest for nine years, 4H Dairy Cattle Judging Team Coach for Grant & Kingsbury County, and presently she is serving as the treasurer for the SD Dairy Fieldmen’s Association.
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Darrel Rennich, Harrisburg, SD
B.S. Dairy Production, 1990
Current Position: Larger herd sales – SMS (Select Mating Service) - SRS (Select Reproductive Solutions), Cache Valley Select Sires, Inc.. Logan, UT
Upon completion of his Dairy Science program at SDSU, Darrel worked for Land O’ Lakes in the area of feed sales to local dairy farms for Meadowland Coop out of Lamberton, MN. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the home dairy operation in Harrisburg, SD. Rennich Dairy was a 150 cow Registered Holstein and Jersey partnership with his father and two brothers. He and his wife subsequently owned and managed the dairy farm for about 4 years. Then the opportunity to work for SDSU brought Darrel and his family to Brookings. He managed the SDSU Dairy Research and Training Facility for six years. He was also an instructor in the Dairy Science Department, coached the Dairy Cattle Judging team and the Dairy Challenge team. In addition, he was a Dairy Club advisor. In 2007 Darrel became Larger herd sales – SMS (Select Mating Service) - SRS (Select Reproductive Solutions) for Select Siresand with the responsibility of developing an AI Technician force in SD. Furthermore, he was elected as President of the SD Holstein Association in 2006, is a Central Plains Dairy Expo board member, and Central Plains Dairy Association board member.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1978
Current Position: Owner, Rich Ries Services, LLC.
Rich grew up on a diversified farm in Nebraska and continued his education with a BS degree from SDSU in Dairy Science Manufacturing with minors in Microbiology and Ag Engineering in 1978. His career started out being centralized around the dairy manufacturing industry but through the years he has diversified to acquiring farm land and patenting food processing equipment. A lot of hard work and long hours over the years allowed him to learn intricate details from all aspects of plant floor operations and construction projects to successfully managing the financial bottom line in the dairy industry. Rich’s career started with Safeway Stores, Inc. fluid and cultured and progresses to Neu Cheese Co. hard American and Italian cheeses and Wells’ Dairy, Inc. ice cream, cultured, fluid, evaporation, and bulk sugar liquefaction. Starting out with hands-on front-line supervisory positions allowed him to progress with confidence to department manager and plant manager positions and eventually to the position of VP of Operations over five processing plants and other associated supply-chain departments. In 2003 Rich started his own Consulting and Project Management business “Rich Ries Services LLC”. The business provides services to dairy manufacturing businesses that are interested in significant cost-saving initiatives, new product development, managing of construction projects, new plant and remodeling upgrade start-ups, designing efficient plant-floor layouts, and complete sanitary piping layout and drawings. Although this has been a fast-paced career, quality time with family has been very important. Rich enjoys taking breaks to fish in the great state of South Dakota.
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B.S. Dairy Production, 1968
M.S. Advanced Animal Breeding, 1970
Current Position: President and CEO of Accelerated Genetics, Baraboo, WI.
After completing his education at SDSU Roger became Regional Manager for Tri-State Breeders Co-op. From 1971-1977 he served as Sire Analyst for the same organization. Roger was Managing Partner for A&H Dairy Farm in Franklin, KY from1977 to 1983. In 1983 he became the vice president for Genetics for Tri-State Breeders, which was later named Accelerated Genetics. In March 1984 Roger was promoted to President and COE of Accelerated Genetics in Baraboo, WI. In addition to these roles, Roger has been a part of several other professional activities, including the World Dairy Expo - Board member for 20 years and current President (since 2001); Genetic Visions, Inc (research subsidiary) - President since 1988; World-Wide Sires - Co-Chair for the past 3 years; NAAB - Former Board member and Past President; Wisconsin CARET - Past President; Former Board member for NAAB, Wisconsin Federation of Co-ops, and Wisconsin Agribusiness Council. Roger has judged cattle shows across the United States and internationally.
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M.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1986
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science, Pennsylvania State University. State College, PA.
Dr. Roberts has been at Penn State since completing his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota in 1991. His research has been in the general area of dairy microbiology with emphasis on exopolysaccharide-producing lactobacilli and on isolation and application of natural antimicrobials (bacteriocins and colicins) for use in dairy and non-dairy food systems. Current research focuses on enhancing survival of probiotic microorganisms in dairy foods. Dr. Roberts teaches the Science and Technology of Dairy Products to seniors in Food Science and is the director of the 112-year old Penn State Ice Cream Short Course, the Penn State Pasteurizer Operators Workshop and is the founder and director of the Penn State Cultured Dairy Products Short Course. Dr. Roberts has served as the academic adviser to the Food Science club for 10 years and coached the IFT College Bowl Team and Penn State Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation team. He was selected as the Outstanding Academic Adviser by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society in 2000. He is an active member of the Dairy Division of the Institute of Food Technologist having served as graduate student representative, graduate paper contest chair, chair of the division and chair of the division program committee for three years.
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Tilahun Salhu, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
M.S. Dairy Production, 1980
Ph.D. Dairy Production, 1983
Current Position: Director of the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research at Langston University. Langston, OK
Tilahun has been involved in goat research since 1985, working in the areas of protein and energy requirements for growth, pregnancy and lactation in dairy and fiber-producing goats; control and manipulation of metabolism and nutrient partitioning. He has authored or co-authored 80 refereed journal articles, 22 book chapters or symposia proceedings, and numerous abstracts and conference proceedings or popular publications and presentations. He has been invited to conduct numerous reviews of scientific manuscripts and has served extensively on scientific society program committees and editorial boards. Tilahun is the recipient of the Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award, and the R.D. Morrison and F.E. Evans Outstanding Scientist Award.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing and Dairy Production, 1975
Current Position: Ag/Dairy Development Specialist, SD Department of Agriculture, Pierre, SD.
Roger has served the dairy industry in the upper mid-west in various capacities since graduating from SDSU in 1975. Between 1975 and 1979 he served as a Plant Supervisor for a Land O’ Lakes Process cheese plant in Spencer, WI and as a LOL Field Representative in Luverne, MN. Between 1979 and 1984 he was in Wolsey, SD managing his family dairy and crop farm consisting of 2000 acres, 130 grade and registered dairy cow commercial dairy operation and a hog finishing operation. In 1984 Roger moved to Pierre, SD where he administered the state dairy inspection program for plants and farms until 1989 when he was promoted to the Division Director for the Division of Agricultural Services. For a four period thereafter, Roger was involved with retail and commercial sales. In 1998 Roger was hired by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture in Bismarck as the Dairy Commissioner for the State of ND. His primary responsibilities were in dairy development and regulatory aspects. In 2000 Roger returned to Pierre, SD as Ag / Dairy Development Specialist for the SD Department of Agriculture, under Secretary Larry Gabriel. His primary responsibilities have been developing and implementing a state dairy development strategy for value added agriculture in SD. Through this position he has traveled across the US and to several countries in Europe to promote dairying in South Dakota.
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Shawn (Stoley) Schlueter, Harrisburg, SD
B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1995
Current Position: Quality Assurance Director, All American Foods. Janesville, MN
Shawn was employed by Schwan’s Sales Enterprises, Inc. as the Quality Supervisor of retail products. She was responsible for products made for the Schwan’s trucks, complaints of these products, specifications and supplier auditing. For the last 5 years Shawn has been the QA Director at All American Foods, Inc. where she is responsible for quality for two facilities which includes: regulatory inspections, external inspections, customer correspondence and all quality programs along with the QA labs at our facilities in Mankato and Waseca, MN.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1997
Current Position: Quality Assurance Manager, Wells Dairy, Le Mars, IA
He has worked at Wells Dairy since December of 2001, beginning as a Quality Assurance supervisor and moving to manager in January 2003. Current job responsibilities include oversight of the QA labs and the lab supervisors, as well as implementation and monitoring of various quality and food safety programs. Prior to arriving at Wells’, he was the plant manager at Meadowvale, Inc. of Yorkville, IL. This role included supervision of all operations of a dairy mix plant, including purchasing of ingredients and supplies, quality assurance, mix formulation, labor relations and shipping.
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B.S. Dairy
Manufacturing, 2002
B.S. Dairy Production, 2002
Current Position: Vice President and Manager, Calves and Heifers, Sharp's Inc., Bath, SD
Upon graduating from SDSU Brad and his wife returned home to Bath, SD to the family dairy farm. Brad immediately took over managing wet calves and heifers. Sharp’s Inc. subsequently expanded their heifer operation to be able to accommodate 900 heifers. Brad began co-managing that operation as well. Sharp's Inc. plans to continue milking Holstein cows and raising replacement heifers in the future.
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B.S. Dairy
Manufacturing, 1995
B.S. Dairy Production, 1996
Current Position: Owner/Operator, Sharp's Inc., Bath, SD
Brian has been involved in his family farming cooperation with his parents, grandfather, wife, brother, and sister-in-law since graduation from SDSU in 1996. The Sharps dairy milks cows, raises replacement heifers, and farms grains - raising all of the feed requirements for the dairy. While in college Brian participated in dairy products, cattle and wool judging teams. He was also a member of Alpha Zeta.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1996
Current position: Territory Manager, Continental Custom Ingredients, Inc., Sycamore, IL
John has been employed at Continental Custom Ingredients (CCI) since graduating SDSU in 1996. CCI, which was founded in 1975, is a privately held, employee owned company based in Sycamore, IL. CCI provides flavor and ingredient systems, including stabilizers, emulsifiers, flavor systems, etc., for the dairy foods industry. John is Territory Manager covering sales for the Pacific Northwest and California. Prior to that, he worked in product development, applications, technical services, and account manager at CCI. He is a member of the IFT, Oregon Dairy Industry, and Dairy Institute of California. He resides in Bend, OR.
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B.S. Dairy Manufacturing, 1975
Current Position: Food Defense Advisor, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Washington D.C.
Duane has worked for USDA for 28 years. He began his career as a dairy plant inspector, dairy products grader and resident plant grader. He has worked in the Washington, DC offices of USDA since 1978 with responsibility for developing U.S. quality standards for dairy products and coordinating the nation-wide USDA dairy plant inspection and grading programs. Prior to his move to Washington, Duane was a Production Supervisor in a large Cheddar cheese manufacturing facility in Wisconsin. Since 2001, Duane has had the responsibility to manage USDA’s dairy grading, inspection and standardization programs. He has also serves as U.S. Delegate to the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Milk and Milk Products. In this capacity he represents the United