Advanced Animal Diagnostics (AAD) adds Rick Rectenwald to its team as manufacturing operations/customer service manager and Darlene Duarte as sales representative for California and Arizona.

Rectenwald will help AAD maintain the highest level of quality and customer satisfaction as the company delivers diagnostic solutions to livestock producers across North America. Drawing on deep operations experience, he will administer systems to support inventory control, supply chain management and customer service.

Duarte, with her dairy background and pharmaceutical sales achievements, will increase AAD’s presence in the southwestern United States. She will focus on educating producers about the benefits of AAD’s rapid, on-farm diagnostic technologies that enable real-time management decisions, including QScout® MLD test for early mastitis detection.

According to Allen Mocyzgemba, AAD vice president of marketing, the addition of these key employees are in line with company growth and its commitment to bringing lab-quality testing to the farm. “As our business develops, demand for QScout® Farm Lab and QScout MLD grows, and the company introduces new diagnostic tests, Rick will tap his diverse operational expertise to enhance customer success and advance supply management systems.”

Adds Gary Winter, AAD vice president of sales, Duarte’s proven track record in driving human health programs is an asset to the company. “Darlene brings an enthusiasm for focusing on customer needs and providing health solutions. She will work with livestock producers to implement our diagnostic technology and deliver information that helps improve animal health protocols and profitability.”

Rectenwald holds a bachelor’s degree in management from North Carolina State University and a master’s in business administration from East Carolina University. He has held a variety of positions in operations and account management, supply chain management and project management with Parata Systems, Tyco Electronics and Square D Company.

Duarte holds a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness, with a concentration in sales and marketing, and dairy science, from California Polytechnic State University. Duarte developed a passion for livestock when her family operated a dairy in California and then Hawaii. Prior to joining AAD, she worked for GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, most recently as executive immunization sales specialist. She speaks Portuguese and English fluently.