Dairy people: Straus Family Creamery founder receives Leadership Award

Dorothy Farrell retires from Sargento Foods; Midwest Dairy Association promotes Cindy Sorensen to SVP.

Specialty Food Association gives Leadership Award to Straus

Albert Straus, the founder of Straus Family Creamery, was one of six recipients of The Specialty Food Association’s 2017 Leadership Awards. The Association said the awards honor “frontrunners who have gone above and beyond in advancing food standards in society —and society itself —by creating social, economic and environmental impact through innovation and vision.” The Straus Family Creamery is an organic dairy in Northern California. Its farms and others contribute16,000 gallons of milk a day for Straus Family Creamery products.

Farrell retires from Sargento Foods

Dorothy Farrell plans to retire as demand planning director for Sargento Foods in January. She started with the Plymouth, Wis., cheese brand in 1983 as communications director. She then worked in several departments in various roles, including in the Consumer Products Division focusing on marketing and demand planning for snack, shredded and sliced cheese products as well as new product development. Additionally, she spent time in the Food Service and Ingredients Division and the New Business Development Department.

Midwest Dairy Association promotes Cindy Sorensen

Midwest Dairy Association, St. Paul, Minn., promoted Cindy Sorensen to senior vice president. She will lead the group’s business development team, which connects dairy and food companies with the research and consumer insights needed to help them serve their customers. CEO Lucas Lentsch also named Sorensen to his executive group, which includes Kathleen Cuddy, senior vice president of integrated communications; Louise Gallagher, senior vice president of administration; Brenda Goldman, vice president of human resources and planning; Bob Lefebvre, senior vice president of industry relations; and Molly Pelzer, senior vice president of health and wellness. The nonprofit organization is funded by dairy farmers in a 10-state region.

Idaho dairy group honors Suber, Pack, Hurren Dairy

The United Dairymen of Idaho, based in Meridian, honored Tom Suber, with its Friend of the Industry Award. Suber is president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Also at its annual meeting in November, Lynn Dean Pack was inducted into the association’s hall of fame. Pack is a fourth-generation dairyman. He helped oversee the merger of the Western Dairymen Cooperative with four other large co-ops to form Dairy Farmers of America. The United Dairymen bestowed its Milk Quality Award on Jay Hurren Dairy, which supplies Gossner Foods.