Wisconsin Ag Connection - Three to be Inducted into Wisconsin Meat Hall of Fame

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Three to be Inducted into Wisconsin Meat Hall of Fame
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/26/2015

Clinton Gronau, Patrick Luby and Robert Nueske will be inducted into the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame this spring in Madison. The program aims to honor individuals for their lifetime contributions to the meat production industry.

Gronau founded Vortron Smokehouses, Inc., and his stainless steel one-truck smokehouse changed the ability of small meat processors in the United States to control smoking and cooking processes and produce safer products. Born in Chicago, Gronau took a management position with the Atmos Company, a smokehouse manufacturer, before joining Alkar in 1966. In the early 1970s, he formed his own company with his sons, Craig and Roger. Vortron exhibited its first production smokehouse in 1972, and USDA approval was obtained in 1975. Vortron's was the first federally approved one-truck smokehouse. Gronau, who passed away in 1999, also served his industry as a member and board member of Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors and the American Association of Meat Processors.

Luby was born on a farm near Zanesville, Ohio. He earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in agricultural economics from Purdue University and served on the faculty there. Patrick joined the Oscar Mayer Company in agricultural economic forecasting and progressed through the company to vice president and corporate economist. His ability to select, analyze and interpret market data and to advise the company on marketing, inventory and procurement strategies was invaluable. Luby assisted in the UW-Madison's livestock and meat marketing course for three decades. He has also served the industry as director of the National Livestock and Meat Board and member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

And Nueske led the development of Nueske's Applewood Smoked Meats of Wittenburg to become one of the most widely recognized independent, family-owned meat processors in the country. The company was founded by Nueske's father, “R.C.”, in 1933. Nueske became president in 1975 and expanded the company from 15 employees to more than 150 by 2015. Nueske's products trace their origin to family recipes brought to Wisconsin when the family immigrated in 1887. Applewood logs are used in the smoking process, which lasts a minimum of 24 hours and lends the products Nueske’s signature sweet smoke flavor. The Specialty Foods Association, American Culinary Institute and National Meat Association have repeatedly honored Nueske’s products for their excellent quality. Nueske passed away earlier this year.

This year's nominees will be inducted during the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council on May 7 at the Sheraton Madison Hotel.

The Hall of Fame program, which was created in 1993, is coordinated by and housed in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory.

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