Nov. 12, 2025, WAUPUN, Wis., and LANSING, Mich., — CentralStar Cooperative, which supports dairy and beef producers across the upper Midwest and surrounding states, recently recognized exceptional team members during its annual CentralStar Team Member Awards Program.
The virtual event celebrated individuals who demonstrated outstanding dedication and commitment throughout the past fiscal year.
“This program gives us a chance to pause and honor the people who make CentralStar successful,” said Dori Lichty, communication specialist. “Their expertise, teamwork, and drive are the foundation of the cooperative’s mission to serve producers and strengthen agriculture.”
CentralStar’s team includes professionals in artificial insemination (A.I.), Dairy Herd Information (DHI) milk testing, sales, consulting, milk analysis, research, and administration. Awards were presented for a range of accomplishments, including work anniversaries, sales achievements, exceptional service, and outstanding performance across departments.
Tyler Freund, Arpin, Wis., was honored with Area Sales Manager of the Year. Andrew Schultz, Kewaunee, Wis.; Eric Gudex, Oakfield, Wis.; and Dan Zernicke, Bonduel, Wis., all received A.I. Specialist of the Year awards. Pieter Koopmans, Green Bay, Wis., was named Team A.I. Technician of the Year, and Julie Retzlaff, Elroy, Wis., was Runner-Up Team A.I. Technician of the Year. Malissa Reed, Owosso, Mich., was awarded Consultant of the Year.
Continuing with CentralStar’s DHI-milk-testing business unit, DHI Specialist of the Year recognition went to three individuals: James Pals, Freeport, Ill.; Brad Lorge, Bear Creek, Wis.; and Alicia Vanderpool, Morenci, Mich. First-Year DHI Specialist of the Year honors went to Jordan Oehrli, Weidman, Mich.
The company-wide honorable Outstanding-Effort Award was presented to Sales Support Specialist Denise Wagner, Onondaga, Mich.
At CentralStar, strong teams drive success. Each year, team members have the opportunity to vote for Team Star-Member Award recipients, those individuals who demonstrate outstanding teamwork, exceptional dedication to customers, and a contagious enthusiasm that embodies the spirit of the cooperative. Team Star-Member Award winners include Brandon Biese, Appleton, Wis.; Matt Staner, Potosi, Wis.; Charley McAlvey, Sumner, Mich.; Sarah Romanowski, Gilman, Wis.; Brian Landis, Goshen, Ind.; Roger Sweeney, Ubly, Mich.; Jim Weber, Hartford, Wis.; Arianna Muston, Perry, Mich.; Alyssa Diemel, Bonduel, Wis.; Sabrynn Fukey, Hopkinton, Iowa; and Denise Wagner.
CentralStar also recognizes A.I. specialists and team A.I. technicians for number of A.I. services. Achieving major lifetime A.I.-service milestones during the last fiscal year: Becky Spatz, Kewaskum, Wis., 100,000 A.I. Services; Ken Nehls, Horicon, Wis., 100,000; Jim Neuser, Cato, Wis., 150,000; Rod Alton, Monroe, Wis., 150,000; Ryan Besaw, Omro, Wis., 150,000; Aaron McMillan, Oshkosh, Wis., 200,000; Dan Zernicke, 200,000; and Ken Montsma, Rosendale, Wis., 300,000 A.I. Services.
In CentralStar’s DHI business unit, employee team members were honored for lifetime-number-of-cows tested. Major milestones in this area include Abbey Zortman, Rubicon, Wis., 1 million cows tested; Emmy Kickbusch, Kewaunee, 1 million cows; Jesse Steinhorst, Kewaunee, 1 million cows; Kylee Draper, Angola, Ind., 1 million cows; Greg Ladd, Tustin, Mich., 2 million cows; Julie Schafer, Fenton, Mich., 2 million cows; Rea Dorzok, New Holstein, Wis., 2 million cows; Alicia Vanderpool, 2 million cows; Dennis Holterman, Watertown, Wis., 2 million cows; Loretta Broecker, Decker, Mich., 3 million cows; Danielle Schlueter, Hortonville, Wis., 4 million cows; Brad Lorge, 5 million cows; and Rick Huth, Green Bay, 10 million cows tested.
CentralStar values long-term dedication, and several team members were recognized for reaching significant milestones in their years of service. Those with the most tenure include Darin Klevgard, Osseo, Wis., 25 years; Jim Neuser, 25 years; Deb Hoekstra, Waupun, Wis., 25 years; Pam Thom, Peck, Mich., 25 years; Syd Behm, Cambria, Wis., 30 years, Keith Rath, Savanna, Ill., 30 years; Eric Bierman, Livingston, Wis., 35 years; Rod Alton, 40 years; and Steve Reed, Owosso, 45 years. Rounding out the work-anniversary milestones at 50 years with the cooperative is Duey Vande Zande, Waupun.
Finally, CentralStar’s employee-team-member-culture initiative is called the FUSION Culture. FUSION stands for fulfilling, uniqueness, synergy, independence, opportunity, and nurturing. Liz Van Ruiswijk, Rosendale, Wis., was awarded the CentralStar FUSION Culture and Mentoring Award for her effort in building team-member camaraderie with her birthday celebrations, themed office potlucks, and more.
CentralStar’s mission of enhancing producer profitability through integrated solutions for mutual success is fulfilled by incorporating an array of products and services critical to dairy-and-beef-farm prosperity. CentralStar’s product and service offerings include Accelerated Genetics, GenerVations, and Select Sires genetics; extensive artificial-insemination (A.I.) technician service; genetic, reproduction, and dairy-records consultation; DHI services; diagnostic testing; herd-management products; research and development; and more. CentralStar’s administration and warehouse facilities are located in Lansing, Mich., and Waupun, Wis., with laboratories in Grand Ledge, Mich., and Kaukauna, Wis. The cooperative serves dairy and beef producers throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, with additional DHI territory in various surrounding states. For more information, visit CentralStar Cooperative Inc. at www.mycentralstar.com.
A.I. Specialist Andrew Schultz, Kewaunee, Wis., was recently honored by CentralStar Cooperative as A.I. Specialist of the Year during their virtual team-member-awards program.