CentralStar Cooperative, supporting dairy and beef producers across the upper Midwest, recently broadcast their annual CentralStar Team Member Awards Program. “This virtual event offers an opportunity to honor and celebrate the efforts of team members who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment over the past fiscal year,” said Communication Specialist Dori Lichty. The CentralStar team includes individuals skilled in a variety of areas: artificial-insemination (A.I.) specialists, Dairy Herd Information (DHI) milk-testing experts, sales representatives, consultants, milk-analysis technicians, research scientists, and administrative personnel. “Awards are presented to team members for a variety of achievements including work anniversaries, sales milestones, exceptional service, and outstanding effort in their respective roles.”
Ben Slack, Viroqua, Wis., was honored with Area Sales Manager of the Year. Jason Danielson, Curtiss, Wis.; Ken Nehls, Horicon, Wis.; and Casey Degnitz, Fredonia, Wis., all received A.I. Specialist of the Year awards. Zach Zernicke, Gillett, Wis., was named Team A.I. Technician of the Year, and Vanessa Ponterio, Lomira, Wis., was Runner-Up Team A.I. Technician of the Year. Emily Middleton-Gyomory, Mayville, Mich., was awarded Consultant of the Year.
Continuing with CentralStar’s DHI-milk-testing business unit, DHI Specialist of the Year recognition went to five individuals: Dennis Holterman, Watertown, Wis.; Roger Sweeney, Ubly, Mich.; Bernie Wery, Luxemburg, Wis.; Jesse Steinhorst, Kewaunee, Wis.; and Emmy Kickbusch, Kewaunee, Wis. First-Year DHI Specialist of the Year recipients include Abbey Zortman, Rubicon, Wis., and Bridget Achterberg, Stetsonville, Wis.
The company-wide honorable Outstanding-Effort Award was presented to A.I. Specialist Brandon Kruswick, Kaukauna, Wis.
Teams are critical to CentralStar’s success. Employee team members are asked to vote for Team Star-Member Award winners who exemplify teamwork, dedication to customers, and overall enthusiasm for the company. Team Star-Member Award winners include Brandon Kruswick; Ben Slack; Kelly Sporer, Hastings, Mich.; Tom Brown, Mondovi, Wis.; Mark Affolder, Berne, Ind.; Malissa Reed, Owosso, Mich.; Rod Alton, Monroe, Wis.; Chelsie Nichols, Charlott, Mich.; Brianna Domke, Oshkosh, Wis.; James Pals, Freeport, Ill.; and Linda Van Loo, Burnett, Wis.
Four area sales managers were honored for achieving semen-sales milestones: Bob Brock, Shawano, Wis.; Allen Grile, Hastings, Mich.; Mike Kutz, New Holstein, Wis.; and Dave Loonstra, Osseo, Wis., all hit the 500,000-unit sales mark. 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: Gary Popp, 100,000 A.I. Services; Jim Early, 100,000 A.I. Services; Tyler Boyer, 100,000 A.I. Services; Matt Cracraft, 150,000 A.I. Services; Pieter Koopmans, 150,000 A.I. Services; Ken Montsma, more than 250,000 A.I. Services; and Scott Woepse, more than 350,000 A.I. Services.
In CentralStar’s DHI business unit, employee team members are honored for lifetime-number-of-cows tested. Major milestones in this area include Makayla Ricketts, Mason, Mich., who achieved the 1-million-cows-tested lifetime mark this year. In addition, Brian Lisowe, Chilton, Wis., and Jill Kobza, Hudsonville, Mich., were honored for testing 2 million cows; Danielle Schlueter, Hortonville, Wis., and Lauren Cracraft, Kewaunee, Wis., for 3 million cows; Brad Lorge, Bear Creek, Wis., and Jessica Bradley, Oshkosh, Wis., for 4 million cows; Jayne Steuer-Birkholz, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 6 million cows; and Rick Huth, Green Bay, Wis., 9 million cows.
CentralStar Cooperative has tremendous longevity among employee team members, and several were honored for major levels in years of service. Those with the most tenure include Dave Rees, Chilton, Wis., 25 years; Bob Sabo, Green Bay, Wis., 30 years; Brad Fossum, Lodi, Wis., 30 years; David Loonstra, 30 years; and Jason Goke, Belleville, Wis., 30 years. Several employee team members hit the 35-year mark: James Tiffany, Spring Valley, Wis.; Joel Franke, Hillsboro, Wis.; Kelly Bristle, Holt, Mich.; and Terry Kraning, Seymour, Wis. Rounding out the work-anniversary milestones at 40 years with the cooperative is Linda Van Loo.
Finally, CentralStar’s employee-team-member-culture initiative is called the FUSION Culture. FUSION stands for fulfilling, uniqueness, synergy, independence, opportunity, and nurturing. Katherin Parsons, Wisconsin Dells, Wis., was awarded the CentralStar FUSION Culture and Mentoring Award for effort she put into assisting the hiring team in recruiting and training new team members, with the goal of helping said individuals achieve successful futures in the industry.
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.
Artificial Insemination Specialist Brandon Kruswick, Kaukauna, Wis., was recently honored by CentralStar Cooperative with the Outstanding Effort Award during their virtual team-member-awards program.