The National Cheese Institute is now accepting nominations for its highest honor, the NCI Laureate Award. The award winner will be recognized during IDFA's Dairy Forum 2018, Jan. 21-24, at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, California. Nominations must be submitted by Oct. 20, 2017, and there is no fee to enter.
Candidates should be business or academic leaders who have made significant, prolonged contributions to the development and growth of the cheese industry. The award recipient is selected by a panel of industry professionals based on the nominee's overall career achievements.
“Behind the U.S. cheese industry’s history of continued growth and success are talented leaders who have devoted their lives to perfecting the craft and promotion of cheesemaking,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “With this award, we're looking to celebrate an individual who has shaped the industry with outstanding accomplishments and contributions.”
Past Winners
Past award winners have ranged from cheese company founders and marketers to dairy microbiologists. Previous winners of the NCI Laureate Award include Kathleen Glass, Gary Vanic, Fritz Leeman, Robert G. Bush, Larry Jenson, Lou Gentine, Emanuele (Lino) Saputo, Mark Johnson, Jerome Schuman, Larry Ferguson, John Jeter, Mark Davis, Wes Allen, Elmer Marth, Max Gonzenbach, Rudy Nef, Betsy Holden, Don Menzner, Don Storhoff, Lester Kielsmeier, Hans Epprecht, Norm Olson, Vince Zehren, Jack Budahn, Leonard Gentine Sr., Raymond Goldbach, Harold Steinke, John Nelson and Dave Nusbaum.
This year's winner will receive free registration, airfare and hotel accommodations to IDFA's Dairy Forum 2018, January 21-24, at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, California. IDFA's Dairy Forum is widely regarded as the most important conference of the year for dairy processors, producers, suppliers and policy-makers.
For more information, contact Tracy Boyle, IDFA director of boards, employee relations and administrative services, at tboyle@idfa.org or download the nomination form.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers with a membership of nearly 525 companies within a $125-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's nearly 200 dairy processing members operate more than 600 plant operations and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org.
