Dairy West announced the election and re-election of several key positions within our board and the addition of two members to its staff.

In the recent board elections, Tom Kasper, owner of Kasper Dairy in Melba, Idaho, was re-elected in Idaho District I, reinforcing his commitment to dairy farmers and the industry. Idaho District II will welcome Jeff Lund, owner of J3 Dairy in Wendell, Idaho, who won the election and will fill the vacancy left by John Brubaker. Kim Korn, owner of Korn Dairy in Terreton, Idaho, won her re-election in District III, maintaining a strong leadership role.

In Utah, Mitch Hancock, of Noo Sun Dairy in Corrine, won the election for District II and will step into the role previously occupied by Jeff Hardy. Chace Fullmer, owner of Cedar Ridge Dairy in Sigurd, Utah, maintains his position as board chair and representative of Utah's District III.

These elected representatives will begin their terms on July 1.

In a related development, Chairman Gaalswyk has appointed Paxton Robinson to fill a mid-term vacancy in Idaho's District II, following the retirement of a board member from the dairy business. Robinson, of Acme Dairy in Oakley, Idaho, is currently a Dairy West ambassador and will be a great addition to the board. This appointment will be ratified at an upcoming board meeting.

"Our board members are instrumental in helping us move forward with our mission. Each individual brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the table, and we are excited to welcome them," said Dairy West CEO Karianne Fallow.

Furthermore, Dairy West announced that Byron L. Pfordte joined the team as vice president, integrated communications. Pfordte brings extensive leadership experience in communication, marketing and strategic thinking to the organization.

Bryce Chambers also joined Dairy West as the director of industry relations. Chambers brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise of dairy through his prior work with Dairy Farmers of America and has strong ties to farmers and processors in Idaho and Utah.

"We are thrilled to welcome Byron and Bryce to our team. Their combined expertise will contribute greatly to our continuous work to promote and support the dairy industry. They join us at an exciting time as we continue to innovate and grow," Fallow said.

Dairy West continues to fulfill its mission of inspiring trust in dairy farming and dairy products and to build demand for dairy products around the world thanks to its dedicated board members and employees. The entire organization looks forward to what the future brings with its new team members.