Milkco Inc., Asheville, N.C., received the Member of the Year award from All Star Association Inc. at the association’s 56th annual convention in Orlando, Fla., in March. Milkco, a subsidiary of the grocery chain Ingles Markets, also provides dairy, citrus, tea, ice cream mix and bottled water to foodservice distributors, grocery warehouses and independent specialty retailers in 10 states.

Recipients of Quality Assurance Awards for dairy products were Super Store Industries, Fairfield, Calif., (milk and cottage cheese); BGC Manufacturing, Tyler, Texas, (ice cream, buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt); Gifford’s Ice Cream, Skowhegan, Maine (ice cream); and Producers Dairy, Fresno, Calif., (ice cream mix).

Arcadia Farms, Arden, N.C., received the purchasing award in the large company category and Ritchey’s Dairy, Martinsburg, Pa., received the award for small companies. Upstate Niagara, Buffalo, N.Y., was honored with the Dr. Henry Randolph Award for most improved plant. Star Kay White, Congers, N.Y., was named Supplier of the Year.

All Star Association also distributed John D. Utterback college scholarship awards totaling $15,000 to five dependents of members’ employees.

 President Brian Perry and Executive Director Jeff Sterne presided over the convention, the theme of which was Embrace Change with Innovation.” Newly elected board members are: Dean Angott, C.F. Burger Creamery, Detroit; Chris Hackman, Prairie Farms Dairy, Jefferson City, Mo.; Jay Wilson, Aurora Organic Dairy, Platteville, Colo.; and Rich Draper, Ice Cream Club, Boynton Beach, Fla.