National Dairy Shrine has several missions. These include recording significant events in dairy history, honoring past and present leaders, promoting the dairy industry, and inspiring future dairy leaders.

The National Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wis., is a mecca for dairy enthusiasts of all ages. From the champion cows of decades ago to the development of technology over the years, everyone who visits can gain an appreciation for our dynamic and evolving industry.

On Monday night, the week of World Dairy Expo, it is all about the people that have shaped and will transform our industry. The list of honorees can be seen in the video.

The annual banquet will honor John Schouten as the Guest of Honor. Schouten has spent his entire career with World Wide Sires, initially as an (international) area director of marketing and advanced to CEO in 2001.

Four pioneers will be highlighted. Veterinarian Scott Armbrust; auctioneer, sales manager, and publisher Tom Morris; and sire analyst Charlie Will are set to attend the banquet for their recognition, while the family of Virginia dairy producer Jack Hardesty will accept his award posthumously.

The honor of Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder will be presented to Ernest Kueffner. He bred and developed cows in multiple breeds that excelled at the highest level. These include household names like Ashlyn and Veronica. His cattle genetics have been sold domestically and exported around the world as live cattle and embryo sales.

Over 40 scholarships will be awarded to students in all stages of their academic career, including graduate work. Student recipients hail from schools across the nation: Washington State University, Cal Poly, Iowa State, Kaskaskia College, University of Minnesota, The Ohio State, Purdue, South Dakota State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Penn State, North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech.

Tickets for the banquet can be purchased (while supplies last) from National Dairy Shrine. To learn more about the organization, visit https://dairyshrine.org.

Patti Hurtgen

The author is the online media manager and is responsible for the website, webinars, and social media. A graduate of Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, she was raised on a California dairy and frequently blogs on youth programs and consumer issues.