ORLANDO, Fla.—All Star Dairy Association, Inc., recognized member dairies at its 48th annual convention at the Orlando Marriott World Center.

More than 300 persons attended the convention March 15-18, which featured a presentation from Save-A-Lot Foods, Professor Marianne Jennings of ASU covering “Business Ethics” and Pat Williams, executive v.p. of the NBA Orlando Magic. Other subjects covered were lowering health insurance costs, distribution savings, current regulation changes, major commodity updates and projections, and cost benchmarks.

Mike Giles, Hugo Fraga and Jim Pitner accepted the Dairy of the Year award for Southwest Foods at the 2006 All Star Dairy Association convention. Photo courtesy of All Star, by Manuel Santiago.

President Larry Kurz, Readington Farms, Whitehouse, N.J. and Executive Dir. Jeff Sterne of All Star, Lexington, Ky., presided over the meeting. Attendees came from included 44 dairy / water / custom mold members representing 62 plants.

Newly elected board members are Brian Perry, Perry’s Ice Cream; Novile Ramsey, Milkco, Inc.; Richard Washburn, Washburn’s Ice Cream; and Richard Shehadey, Producers Dairy.

The association was started in 1955, and has 190 member companies representing 289 plants in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and Nova Scotia.

Steve Trauth, Trauth Dairy, and Hugo Fraga, Southwest Foods each accepted an award in a tie for the Best Ice Cream Plant. Photo courtesy of All Star, by Manuel Santiago.

This year the $5,000 John D. Utterback Annual College Scholarship was awarded evenly to the following member employees or dependants to be used toward a Food & Science degree:

• Christie Collins of Milkco, Inc., Asheville, N.C., at Clemson University.
• Angela Kooiker of Well’s Dairy, LeMars, Iowa, at South Dakota State.
• Shawn Byrne of Byrne Dairy, Syracuse, N.Y., at Cornell University.
• Allan Gillis of Scotsburn Dairy, Scotsburn, Nova Scotia, at Cape Briton University.
• Carolyn Sparks of Louis Trauth Dairy, at Miami University of Ohio.

All Star Dairy 2006 Awards

Dairy of the Year Award

Southwest Foods, Tyler, Texas. Jim Pitner, Mike Giles and Hugo Fraga accepted.

Purchasing Award (large company)

Readington Farms Dairy, Whitehouse, N.J. Larry Kurz accepted.

Purchasing Award (small company)

Jilbert’s Dairy, Marquette, Mich. Jason Jilbert accepted.

Quality Assurance Awards

Best Fluid Plant

Southwest Foods, Mike Giles accepted.

Best Culture Plant

Louis Trauth Dairy, Newport, Ky., Steve Trauth accepted.

Best Ice Cream Plant (Tied)

Louis Trauth Dairy, Steve Trauth accepted

Southwest Foods, Hugo Fraga accepted.

“Doc Lawrence” Most Improved Plant

Schneider Dairy, Pittsburgh, Bill Schneider, Jr. accepted.

“Thoroughbred Award” Supplier of the Year

Exxon Mobil, Houston. Dave Sellers and Verl Heeke accepted.