Safeway Executive Named Board Chair; Crystal Creamery Head Also Joins Board
Adding industry veterans to the list of advisors, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross appoints dairy producers Arlene Vander Eyk of Pixley, Calif., and Gregory "Butch" Dias of Visalia, Calif., to the Dairy Council of California board of directors.
Randall Dei, Safeway's director of U.S. ice cream/industry relations, was appointed board chair, serving a two-year term, and Crystal Creamery President and CEO Frank Otis has joined the board.
"Dairy Council of California reaches more than 2 million schoolchildren and nearly 4 million adults every year with its comprehensive nutrition education programs," said Tammy Anderson-Wise, Dairy Council of California CEO. "We look forward to the fresh perspective and guidance these new board members will provide as we work to extend our reach and advocate milk's irreplaceable package of nutrients that make it essential for healthy eating."
Vander Eyk was raised on a dairy farm and has been in the business for more than 30 years. The Robert Vander Eyk Dairy, originally based in Ontario, Calif., relocated seven years ago to Pixley south of Fresno. Vander Eyk served for many years on the district committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and was appointed to the statewide CMAB in December. She was appointed to the National Dairy Board (NDB) in 2009 and reappointed for a second three-year term this past November. She also serves on the NDB's Health and Wellness committee.
Dias has owned Delta View Farms, a dairy and farming operation, since 1972. Over the past 40 years, Dias has been involved in a number of dairy organizations. From 2003 to 2008, he was chairman of the CMAB, having previously served CMAB as a board member and district committee member. Dias is chairman of the California Dairy Foods Research board and serves on the boards of the California Jersey Cattle Association and Farm Credit West, the largest provider of credit to American agriculture.
Dei, Dairy Council of California's new board chair, supervises Safeway's two ice cream plants and is in charge of all raw milk procurement, serving as liaison between the company and producers.
New board member Frank Otis was named head of Modesto-based Crystal Creamery in April 2012. The company's products include milk, butter, ice cream, powdered milk and sour cream.
About Dairy Council of California
Dairy Council of California (HealthyEating.org) serves as the dairy industry's contribution to community health by creating science-based nutrition education curricula and resources that help children and families improve their eating habits and make nutrient-rich choices from all food groups. For nearly a century, Dairy Council of California has partnered with schools, health professionals and community leaders to offer California families simple steps for making balanced food choices while conveying the irreplaceable role that milk and milk products play in a balanced diet.
02.11.2013