The members of the American Butter Institute elected a new leadership slate at their 2022 Board of Directors meeting last week in Alexandria, Virginia. Catherine Fox, the Vice President of Dairy Foods Brand and Product Marketing at Land O’ Lakes, is the new ABI President, and will serve a two-year term. Fox will be supported by First Vice President Mark Armon, Head of Butter, Cheese & Milk Proteins at Darigold; and Second Vice President Cheslie Stehouwer, Director of Sales & Marketing at Continental Dairy Facilities, the other officers elected during the meeting.
With Fox’s election, the two-year term of outgoing President Marshall Reece of Associated Milk Producers Inc. comes to a close. The Board of Directors thanked Reece for his service, particularly during the Covid pandemic when membership activities shifted to a virtual meeting format. The 25-member Board of Directors also discussed butter marketing trends in the post-Covid era, reviewed butter trading policies at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and received an update on the latest health research on dairy consumption.
The Board also selected a new Executive Director, Chris Galen, to replace outgoing Executive Director Tom Balmer, who recently informed the ABI Board of his intent to step down after managing the association for the past seven years. Galen has been part of the ABI staff since 1997, when the National Milk Producers Federation assumed management oversight of ABI.
The American Butter Institute:
- Promotes and protects the interests and welfare of the butter industry;
- Acts as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas beneficial to the butter industry and the consuming public;
- Keeps its members informed of legislative and regulatory proposals; and
- Acts as the voice for all actions affecting the industry and other relevant research and other industry developments and public relation on other interactions with government agencies.
