Dairy Checkoff Leaders Elect National Board Officers
Contact: Scott Wallin
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Leaders of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB) and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) announced election results to guide national dairy checkoff strategies and programs that protect and grow sales.
Dairy checkoff leaders elected their officers at the 2026 Joint Annual Meeting of the NDB, UDIA and National Milk Producers Federation in Kissimmee, Fla., Oct. 20-21.
“I’m honored and excited to continue working alongside dairy farmers nationwide to strengthen demand and build new opportunities for our industry,” said Marilyn Hershey, a farmer from Cochranville, Pa., who was re-elected chair of DMI. “Our boards play a critical role in guiding investments and ensuring the checkoff delivers meaningful value for farmers and importers.”
DMI, which manages the national checkoff program, is co-funded by NDB and UDIA. In addition to Hershey, other DMI officers elected are:
- Vice Chair – Mary Kraft, Fort Morgan, Colo.
- Secretary – Roger Fluegel, Visalia, Calif.
- Treasurer – Becky Nyman, Hilmar, Calif.
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Lolly Lesher
The NDB elected the following officers:
- Chair – Lolly Lesher, Bernville, Pa.
- Vice Chair – Gail Klinkner, Viroqua, Wis.
- Secretary – Arlene VanderEyk, Tulare, Calif.
- Treasurer – Mark Fellwock, Monett, Mo.
The 37-member NDB, formed in May 1984 under the authority of the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983, carries out coordinated promotion and research programs to help build demand and expand domestic and international markets for dairy products.
UDIA officers elected are
- Chair – Charles Krause, Buffalo, Minn.
- Vice Chair – Kris Wardin, St. Johns, Mich.
- 2nd Vice Chair – Audrey Donahoe, Clayville, N.Y.
- Secretary – Daniel Buttars, Lewiston, Utah
- Treasurer – Tom Walsh, De Graff, Minn.
UDIA is a federation of state and regional dairy farmer-funded promotion organizations that provide marketing programs developed and implemented in coordination with their members. UDIA is overseen by a board comprised of 38 dairy farmers elected by the respective local and regional boards of UDIA member organizations.
National Dairy Council (NDC) officers elected are:
- Chair – Audrey Donahoe, Clayville, N.Y.
- Vice Chair – Perry Tjaarda, Shafter, Calif.
- Secretary – Sutton Rucks, Okeechobee, Fla.
- Treasurer – Jill Houin, Plymouth, Ind.
NDC is a nonprofit research and education organization founded by dairy farmers in 1915. NDC provides science-based nutrition and food systems information and collaborates with stakeholders committed to supporting a healthier nation, including health and wellness professionals, educators, school nutrition experts, academia, industry, consumers and media. Through education and collaboration, NDC helps translate science into practical guidance on the role of dairy foods in healthy eating patterns.
