A number of new officers and leaders have been elected or appointed to dairy promotion groups:
Producer leaders of Dairy Management Inc.TM (DMI), the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB) and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) elected four Midwest dairy producers to national positions at their joint annual meeting in Las Vegas in early November. William Siebenborn, Trenton, Mo., and Mel Kunstleben, Paynesville, Minn., were elected chairman and treasurer of UDIA, respectively. Jerry Messer, Richardton, N.D. was elected treasurer of DMI and Donna Sharp, Bath, S.D. was elected secretary of NDB. Messer will also serve as vice chairman of American Dairy Association, the domestic marketing arm of DMI. All either are, or have been, active board members of Midwest Dairy Association, which manages the dairy checkoff for nine Midwest states.
Other new DMI officers are:
· Chairman – Paul Rovey, Glendale, Ariz.
· Vice Chairman – Michael Ferguson, Senatobia, Miss.
· Secretary – Margaret Gambonini, Petaluma, Calif.
DMI, which manages the national dairy producer checkoff program, is funded by the NDB and UDIA.
Other new NDB officers are:
· Chairman – Lester Hardesty, Greeley, Colo.
· Vice Chairperson – Kimberly Clauss, Hilmar, Calif.
· Treasurer – David “Skip” Hardie, Lansing, N.Y.
The 36-member NDB, formed in May 1984 under the authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, carries out coordinated promotion and research programs to help build demand and expand domestic and international markets for U.S.-produced dairy products. NDB oversees the national dairy producer checkoff.
Additional new UDIA officers are:
· 1st Vice Chairman – Neil Hoff, Windthorst, Texas
· 2nd Vice Chairman, American Dairy Association® (ADA) Chairman – David Weitzer, Poolesville, Md.
· 2nd Vice Chairman, National Dairy Council® (NDC) Chairman – Buckey Jones, Smithdale, Miss.
· 2nd Vice Chairman, UDIA member relations – Billy Travis, Princeton, Ky.
· Secretary – Steve Frischknecht, Manti, Utah
UDIA is a federation of state and regional dairy producer-funded dairy promotion organizations that provide marketing programs that are developed and implemented in coordination with its members. UDIA is overseen by a board comprised of dairy producers elected by their respective boards of their member organizations.
New ADA officers, in addition to Messer, are:
· Chairman – David Weitzer
· Secretary – Stephen Nortz, Lowville, N.Y.
· Treasurer – Gerald Fieser, DeLeon Springs, Fla.
New NDC officers are:
· Chairman – Buckey Jones
· Vice Chairman – Paul Broering, St. Henry, Ohio
· Secretary – Joan Smith, Sauquoit, N.Y.
· Treasurer – Charles Beckendorf, Tomball, Texas
NDC, founded in 1915, is the producer-funded nutrition education and research arm of DMI and provides nutrition information through national, state and regional dairy council organizations.