GREEN BAY — The Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin’s leading advocacy group, elected a new president during the group’s annual business meeting at DBA’s Dairy Strong conference on Wednesday.
Greg Siegenthaler, vice president milk marketing, sustainability and sourcing for Grande Cheese in Fond Du Lac, was elected president. Siegenthaler is a long-standing DBA member and previously served as the organization’s vice president.
“We are excited to have Greg lead our association during what is likely to be a very exciting year for our association,” Tim Trotter, Dairy Business Association CEO, said. “We are seeing a vast amount of opportunity for DBA to continue to provide the programs and services dairy farmers, and the entire dairy community, need to continue to be successful. It is also important to note that Greg is the first cheese processor elected to serve as president.”
Siegnethaler succeeds Lee Kinnard, dairy farmer from Casco, who term-limited out as president but remains as a board member. Siegenthaler is a Lafayette County native.
The association also elected two producer members and one corporate member to the board:
● Duane Ducat, partner and manager of Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee. Ducat has been a member of DBA since the association was founded and is actively involved in various other agricultural organizations, including his local farmer-led watershed conservation group Peninsula Pride Farms and Farmers for Sustainable Food.
● Steve Schalla, Bomaz Farms in Hammond was re-elected to the board. As a long-serving DBA member, Schalla has been a member of DBA’s government affairs committee and has participated in many events, including Dairy Day at the Capitol, advocating on behalf of dairy farmers accross the state. He will hold the position of secretary on the board.
● Amy Penterman of Vine Vest Partners, LLC, is an experienced crop insurance agent and farms in Thorp with her husband. Having previously served as a producer director, she is familiar with DBA and has been involved in the organization for many years.
Outgoing board members include Steve Bodart of AgriGrowth Solutions and Kevin Collins of Collins Dairy in Greenleaf, Wis.
Other DBA board members include: Travis Speirs of Shiloh Dairy, vice president; Chris Schneider of Nicolet Bank, treasurer; Spencer Frost of Frost Farms; Jessse Dvorachek of Wayside Dairy and Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms.