CentralStar Cooperative, serving dairy and beef producers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, recently announced their employee team-member award winners for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. At almost 400 employees strong, CentralStar recognizes team members for everything from work anniversaries to sales, service, and outstanding-effort achievements.
Rex Reinholt, Rochester, Ind., was honored with Area Sales Manager of the Year. Sherman Wilson, LaValle, Wis.; Deanna Pleiman, Lake City, Mich.; and Jim Neuser, Cato, Wis., all received Artificial Insemination (A.I.) Specialist of the Year awards. Tyler Vande Wettering, Greenleaf, Wis., was named Team A.I. Technician of the Year, and Nathan Ellerbrock, Osseo, Wis., was Runner-Up Team A.I. Technician of the Year. Julie Ainsworth, Grand Rapids, Mich., was awarded Consultant of the Year.
Continuing with CentralStar’s Dairy Herd Information (DHI) milk-testing business unit, DHI Specialist of the Year recognition went to both Lexi DuSell, New Richmond, Wis., and Angela Gaugler, Fowlerville, Mich. First-Year DHI Specialist of the Year recipients include Katelyn Loeks, McBain, Mich., and Brittany Coop, Eau Claire, Wis.
The company-wide honorable outstanding-effort award was presented to Financial Analyst Keri Colegrove, Eaton Rapids, Mich.
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 Laura Pavliscak, Okemos, Mich.; Chad Kaufmann, St. Johns, Mich.; Kyle Nackers, Kaukauna, Wis.; Keri Colegrove; Mike Finegan, Litchfield, Mich.; Emily Middleton, Kingston, Mich.; Brian Landis, Goshen, Ind.; Deanna Pleiman; Nathan Ellerbrock; Mike Kutz, New Holsteins, Wis.; Dan Zernicke, Bonduel, Wis.; Matt Staner, Potosi, Wis.; and Victor Lopez, Beaver Dam, Wis.
CentralStar recognizes A.I. specialists and team A.I. technicians for number of A.I. services. Achieving major A.I.-service milestones during the last fiscal year: Garret Carnahan, Hilbert, Wis., 100,000 A.I. services; James Tiffany, Spring Valley, Wis., 100,000 A.I. services; Sandy Hoppmann, Wilton, Wis., 100,000 A.I. services; Aaron McMillan, Oshkosh, Wis., 150,000 A.I. services; Chris Meyer, Loganville, Wis., 150,000 A.I. services; and Dan Zernicke, 175,000 A.I. services.
Area Sales Manager Brad Fossum, Lodi, Wis., was recognized for achieving a career milestone of 1 million semen-units sold and Greg Beavers, Bloomington, Ind., 500,000 semen-units sold.
In CentralStar’s DHI business unit, employees are honored for number of cows tested. Major milestones in this area include those who’ve tested 1 million cows so far in their careers: Dennis Holterman, Watertown, Wis.; Cindy Milligan, Parma, Mich.; Misty Rademacher, Elsie, Mich.; Lorie Reese, Posen, Mich.; and Alicia Vanderpool, Morenci, Mich. In addition, Roger Sweeney, Ubly, Mich., was honored for testing 3 million cows; Jayne Steuer-Birkholz, Elkhart Lake, Wis., 4 million cows; and Rick Huth, Green Bay, Wis., 6 million cows.
CentralStar Cooperative has tremendous longevity among employees, and several were honored for major levels in years of service. Those with the most tenure include Dale Griebenow, Watertown, Wis., 25 years; Pat Kondel, Owosso, Mich., 25 years; Lorie Reese, 25 years; Ben Slack, Viroqua, Wis., 25 years; Brent Beeker, Constantine, Mich., 30 years; Carol Decker, Menasha, Wis., 30 years; Scott Woepse, Kiel, Wis., 30 years; Frank Blahnik, Cuba City, Wis., 40 years; Kris Kimball, Seymour, Wis., 45 years; and James Iverson, Mindoro, Wis., 45 years.
CentralStar’s goal of enhancing producer profitability through integrated services 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. For more information, visit CentralStar Cooperative Inc. at www.mycentralstar.com.
