Nasonville Dairy’s Ken Heiman to receive Life Member Award

For Hub City Times

MADISON — The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) board of directors has selected eight individuals to be recognized at the Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference in April 2017 for their outstanding work in the dairy manufacturing industry.

“The multibillion dollar cheese industry in the United States was built on high-quality products made by the very best people. It’s important that we recognize those men and women for the way they’ve contributed to our industry’s tremendous success,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA executive director. “The 2017 honorees are an especially deserving group, and we’re pleased to show them our appreciation.”

Ken Heiman will receive the association’s highest honor: the WCMA Life Member Award. WCMA has offered the Life Member Award since 1918, and Heiman will be the 85th recipient. The award recognizes people who have played a significant role in the success of the association through leadership, support, and service to this institution and its activities.

As a licensed cheese maker for the past 48 years and a master cheese maker for the past 10, Heiman has been a driving force in the growth of Nasonville Dairy, which now averages more than $140 million in annual sales. Heiman is known for his passion for the dairy industry and gives back through his active membership in the WCMA and in his work with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Other WMCA award winners include Greg Dryer, formerly of Saputo Cheese USA; Dallas Wuethrich of Grassland Dairy; Ralph Millerbernd of Millerbernd Process Systems; Allan Ver Voort of Ecolab; Bob Bradley of the University of Wisconsin; Ken Leitner, formerly of Alto Dairy; and Leo Zehren, formerly of Lake-to-Lake.