Dairy Farmers of America Board of Directors Elects Officers

March 24, 2008, Kansas City, Mo. - Tom Camerlo, a dairy farmer from Florence, Colo., was re-elected to his sixth term as chairman of the board of directors for Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA). The election was held on March 19, at the conclusion of DFA’s 10th Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Mo.

Camerlo has served as DFA’s chairman since 2003. He is the chairman of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, serves on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade and is on the board of Dairy Management, Inc. He has owned and operated Camerlo Dairy since 1963.

“I am honored and privileged to serve as DFA’s chairman,” Camerlo says. “We had a successful annual meeting, and are eager to continue working on behalf of the 18,000 members we represent. The board looks forward to addressing new challenges and opportunities for DFA and the dairy industry this year.”

Randy Mooney of Rogersville, Mo., was re-elected first vice chairman. He chairs DFA’s Southeast Area Council and serves on the boards of National Milk Producers Federation, the Missouri Dairy Association and the Milk Processor Education Program. Mooney and his wife, Jan, milk 200 Holsteins and operate a cow-calf operation.

Tom Croner of Berlin, Pa., was re-elected secretary/treasurer and chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee. He chairs DFA’s Mideast Area Council and serves on the boards for the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program and the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association. Croner has been a dairy farmer since 1964 and farms 700 acres and milks 200 cows with his son, T. Richard.

Four other board members were elected vice chairman, and each will chair one of DFA’s committees:

Jerrel Heatwole of Greenwood, Del., was re-elected as a vice chairman and chairman of the Government, Member and Public Relations Committee. He chairs DFA’s Northeast Area Council, serves as treasurer of the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and is a board member of the United Dairy Industry Association and National Milk Producers Federation. Jerrel has been dairying since 1984 and also manages a poultry operation.

Newly elected as a vice chairman was George Mertens of Sonoma, Calif., who will chair the Fluid Marketing and Public Policy Committee. He chairs DFA’s Western Area Council and has been very active in the California dairy industry. Mertens milks 650 cows and farms 1,100 acres with his sons, Steve and Fred.

Wayne Palla of Clovis, N.M., was re-elected as a vice chairman and chairman of the Audit Committee. He chairs DFA’s Southwest Area Council, is a board member of National Milk Producers Federation and is a former corporate and southern region treasurer of Associated Milk Producers Inc. Palla and his son, Eric, have a dairy, beef and farming operation. 

Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. is a dairy marketing cooperative that serves and is owned by more than 18,000 dairy farmers in 48 states. DFA is one of the country’s most diversified manufacturers of dairy products, food components and ingredients, and is a leader in formulating and packaging shelf-stable dairy products. For more information, call 1-888-DFA-MILK (332-6455).

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Editor’s Note: Photos available upon request.