Select Sires Member Cooperative (SSMC) is excited to announce the addition of Patti Hurtgen as the manager of communications. As a veteran of the dairy industry, Patti brings a wealth of experience and social media marketing to the team. Select Sires Member Cooperative is committed to being a full service A.I. company designed to lead through empowering people and technology. Patti’s experience working with online platforms and engaging customers and non-customers alike will expand the team’s presence and effectiveness,” says Julie Ziegler, director of communication, member engagement, and cooperative policy.

The cooperative has been growing its presence online and looks forward to Patti’s leadership to create even more engagement. As a cooperative that looks to create meaningful impact on the dairy and beef producers we serve, communicating in an easy-to-understand format and in an informative way benefits producers and employees alike.

Patti has spent the past 15 years working for Hoards Dairyman, managing their online presence. From growing their online exposure to enhancing the readership of their flagship magazine, her leadership in establishing effective content and growing their channels has yielded great results. In addition to her time at Hoard’s Dairyman, she spent time with two other A.I. companies and understands our business and the customer base. Patti grew up on a dairy in California and still owns a few Registered Holsteins. She works from the office in Columbus, Ohio.

“In this role, I will be able to combine my dairy and animal science degrees with my (recently earned) master’s degree in communication to serve the member-owners of SSMC. I look forward to working closely with the Select Sires Member Cooperative team to promote the benefits of our products and services to dairy and beef producers in our membership territory through a variety of communication channels,” shared Hurtgen.

Select Sires Member Cooperative (SSMC) was established on October 1, 2023. The independent cooperatives of All West/Select Sires, COBA/Select Sires, Select Sires MidAmerica, and Minnesota/Select Sires unanimously voted to merge into one cooperative, representing the Select Sires federation in 27 U.S. states and the country of Mexico. SSMC delivers excellence in personalized service, quality offerings, and cattle genetics. We are committed to expanding knowledge and providing professional development opportunities for our team. This promise ensures the highest quality service to our members-owners while enhancing our team’s growth and experience. Select Sires Member Cooperative operates as a true cooperative while striving to inspire the excellence of producers, herds and our communities. To learn more about SSMC, visit ssmcoop.com.