The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced new members of the organization’s Executive Council, as well as new directors for the group’s five Industry Segment Boards. IDFA’s Executive Council is composed of executives from across the dairy foods industry and focuses on the business and operations of the association. The five Industry Segment Boards represent fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy-derived ingredients, and are composed of experts and executives who help drive policy and strategy alongside the association’s leadership.

“These executives were nominated and approved based on their demonstrated leadership, business expertise and willingness to dedicate time to the continued growth of IDFA and the dairy industry in the United States,” said Dan Zagzebski, chair of IDFA’s Nomination and Governance Committee.

Together, the Executive Council and Industry Segment Boards make up IDFA’s governance structure and ensure that IDFA represents and engages all segments of the growing dairy industry in the United States.

“I’m thrilled to have such an experienced and diverse set of leaders joining the IDFA Executive Council and Industry Segment Boards,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “Their knowledge, experience and input will guide our regulatory, legislative, communications and membership services so that IDFA is working in the best interest of its members to make a difference for dairy.”

IDFA represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $159 billion in wages and $620 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers. Together, they represent approximately 90% of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, butter and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world, Washington, D.C.-based IDFA said.

IDFA Executive Council Members

Officers:

• Chair: David Ahlem, CEO and president, Hilmar Cheese Company Inc.
• Vice chair: Patricia D. Stroup, senior vice president and chief procurement officer, Nestlé S.A.
• Secretary: Stan Ryan, president and CEO, Darigold Inc.
• Treasurer: David Nelsen, group vice president, manufacturing, Albertsons Companies
• Immediate past chair: Dan Zagzebski, president and CEO, Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc.

IDFA Fluid Milk Board:

• Chair: Jeffrey Kaneb, chief operating officer, HP Hood LLC
• Vice chair: Ed Mullins, executive vice president and CEO, Prairie Farms Dairy Inc.

IDFA Ice Cream Board:

• Chair: Mike Wells, president and CEO, Wells Enterprises Inc.
• Vice chair: Rich D. Draper, CEO, The Ice Cream Club Inc.

IDFA Cheese Board:

• Chair: Louie Gentine, CEO, Sargento Foods Inc.
• Vice chair: Doug Simon, president, Agropur U.S. Operations

IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board:

• Chair: Philippe L. Caradec, vice president, public and government affairs, Danone North America
• Vice chair: Trevor Farrell, senior vice president and chief commercial officer, Americas, Schreiber Foods Inc.

IDFA Ingredients Board:

• Chair: Terry Brockman, chief business officer, Saputo Dairy Division USA
• Vice Chair: Brad Anderson, President and CEO, California Dairies Inc.

Directors:

• Jay Bryant, CEO, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association Inc.
• Peter Cotter, general manager, cheese & dairy, The Kraft Heinz Co.
• Mike Durkin, president and CEO, Leprino Foods Co.
• Tim Galloway, CEO, Galloway Co.
• Douglas Glade, executive vice president, business integration, Dairy Farmers of America Inc.
• Ken Jorgensen, director, dairy operations, H-E-B
• Jerry D. Kaminski, chief operating officer, Land O’Lakes Inc.
• Scott McGinty, CEO, Aurora Organic Dairy
• Tom Murphy, president, Brewster Cheese Co.
• Brian Phelan, CEO, Glanbia Nutritionals, Glanbia plc
• Shelley Roth, president, Pierre’s Ice Cream Co.
• Greg Schlafer, CEO, Foremost Farms USA
• Erin Sharp, group vice president, manufacturing, The Kroger Co.
• Lawrence Webster, CEO, Upstate Niagara Cooperativ Inc.

Gold business partner representatives on Executive Council:

• Jeff Fielkow, president and CEO, Tetra Pak Inc.
• Mary Ledman, global dairy strategist, Rabobank
• Mike Neu, senior vice president, food cultures & enzymes, Chr. Hansen Inc.

IDFA Fluid Milk Board director additions:

• Keith Collins, president, Milkco Inc.
• Tim Doelman, CEO, Fairlife LLC
• Bob Kirchoff, CEO, Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative
• Dennis Roberts, CEO/president, Crystal Creamery
• Chuck Turner, president, Turner Dairy Farms Inc.
• Gold Business Partner Additions:
• Carmen Becker, vice president and general manager, Amcor Rigid Plastics, Amcor
• DeWitt D. Clark, vice president, North American packaging, Evergreen Packaging
• Joe Langehennig, vice president, corporate accounts, Ecolab

IDFA Ice Cream Board director additions:

• Patrick Criteser, president and CEO, Tillamook County Creamery Association
• Robin Galloway, president, Ice Cream Division, DFA Dairy Brands
• Richard A. Graeter, president and CEO, Graeter's Manufacturing Co.
• Greg Helbig, director of operations/quality, Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC
• Keith Schroeder, CEO, High Road Craft Brands
• Brett Tanttu, vice president, research & development, Saputo Dairy Foods USA
• Gold Business Partner additions:
• Kelly Pettijohn, senior director, business development-key accounts, Americold
• Chris Olsen, vice president, community and government affairs, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas LLC

IDFA Cheese Board director additions:

• Roxanne Bernstein, president and general manager, Crystal Farms Dairy Co.
• William Beaton, CEO, Agri-Mark Inc./Cabot
• Mike Durkin, president and CEO, Leprino Foods Co.
• Ron Dunford, president and CEO, Schreiber Foods Inc.
• Rick Pedersen, president, Ornua Ingredients North America
• Gold Business Partner additions:
• Dale Andersen, president and CEO, Delkor Systems Inc.

IDFA Yogurt and Cultured Products Board director addition:

• Rick Beaman, vice president, Hiland/Joint Venture Operations, Hiland Dairy Foods Co. LLC

Gold Business Partner addition:

• Nathan Arnold, P.E., director, client development, Hixson Architects & Engineers

IDFA Ingredients Board director additions:

• Joe Coote, president, global ingredients, Darigold Inc.
• Mike Durkin, president and CEO, Leprino Foods Co.
• Kimberly Fisk, head of global procurement, commodities, Nestlé S.A.
• Dan LaMarche, vice president, operations, Agropur U.S. Operations
• Uwe Schnell, president, North America, FrieslandCampina Ingredients North America Inc.
• Patti Smith, CEO, DairyAmerica
• Íarlaith Smyth, president, Ornua Foods North America