Feb. 23 2017 02:08 PM
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.

The American Guernsey Association Board of Directors are pleased to announce that Douglas L. Granitz has been hired as the new Chief Executive Officer of the organization. He will be responsible for leading the American Guernsey Association (AGA), and its subsidiaries, through an exciting future of transition and growth. His duties will include helping to develop business strategies and plans, lead and motivate member engagement, oversee all operations and business activities of the organization, review all financial and non-financial reports with the Board of Directors and make high-quality investing decisions to advance the organization and increase profits. He will also enforce policies and guidelines, promote the breed and identify and develop growth opportunities for the organizations.

David Trotter, AGA President said, “We are excited about the experiences that Doug Granitz brings to AGA and strongly believe that we are heading in the right direction for the future of the Guernsey breed and membership with the management and leadership expertise he brings to the organization.”

As a graduate of Taylor University and with a Master’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington, he brings a wealth of leadership, management, business and strategic planning capabilities and experience to the AGA. He is a global executive with a proven track record of leading and delivering net revenue growth, net income, operating cash-flow, customer retention and satisfaction as well as organizational transformation, branding, and working with commercial operations both domestically and internationally. Doug has led companies in a multitude of management positions including Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer, General Manager and more. He has worked extensively within the food and dairy industry across the globe including Ourolac Food & Dairy Inc., Glanbia Foods, Inc./Southwest Cheese Inc., Ocean Spray and Schreiber Foods Brazil Inc. among others. He served as a Foreign Service Officer for the United States of America as well as an NC Officer in the U.S. Army.

Granitz has received the President’s Award for Achievement while at Schreiber Foods and two Army commendation medals. He also received the combat patch as an active participant in Operation Just Cause. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

Granitz will start with the AGA in mid-March. He will be responsible for leading both the AGA and its subsidiaries including Purebred Publishing, publishers of the Ayrshire Digest, Brown Swiss Bulletin, Guernsey Breeders’ Journal, HolsteinWorld Exclusive and Milking Shorthorn Journal.

He and his wife Camille and seven children currently reside in Walla Walla, Washington.

The American Guernsey Association is based in Columbus, Ohio, and is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of Guernsey dairy cows. The association serves over 500 active members nationwide.