MMPA Hires New Director of Operations, Promotes Director of Supply Chain

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

As MMPA continues to expand in the Midwest, the cooperative has hired Ed Jaquay to lead plant operations and supply chain management as the director of operations. In this capacity, Jaquay will be responsible for leading plant management at MMPA’s three dairy processing facilities and overseeing the supply chain. Leading the supply chain department is Therese Tierney who was recently promoted from the milk sales department.

“MMPA is growing and adapting to the changing needs of the market. As we build upon our strategy, these management additions will help lead us into the years to come,” said MMPA General Manager Joe Diglio. “Jaquay is a proven operations leader with extensive knowledge in many aspects of the food manufacturing industry, particularly in cheese. His leadership at MMPA will be beneficial to the cooperative’s strategic growth moving forward.”

Jaquay’s experience at companies such as ProLiant Dairy Ingredients, Great Lakes Cheese Company and Leprino Foods have provided him a wealth of knowledge in the Cheese and Dairy Industry. Most recently, Jaquay held the position of General Manager – Northeastern Operations with Proliant Dairy Ingredients. Jaquay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture – Animal Science from Cornell University. He currently is a member of the Cornell food science advisory council.

In addition, MMPA has restructured to create a new supply chain department, led by Therese Tierney who has been promoted to director of supply chain. She has 26 years of experience in retail management with focus in inventory control. She joined the MMPA milk sales team five years ago, and recently held the position of supply chain manager.

“Tierney has proven her capabilities at MMPA over the last few years by adapting the current system to accommodate increased demands and streamlined collaboration between different business units. We are pleased to promote Tierney and are confident she will continue to grow within the cooperative in her new role,” Diglio added.

Tierney reports to Jaquay and leads the management of comprehensive plant production planning models, oversees manufacturing schedules and develops action plans to resolve issues that affect supply.

Michigan Milk Producers Association, established in 1916, is a member-owned and controlled milk-marketing cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.