Wisconsin Ag Connection - Knebel, Stayer Among National Meat HoF Inductees

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Knebel, Stayer Among National Meat HoF Inductees
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 07/27/2017

Two prominent Wisconsin men who spent their careers in the food processing industry are among this year's inductees of the U.S. Meat Industry Hall of Fame. Members of the Class of 2017 were selected from a lengthy list of distinguished nominees and will be recognized at a special induction ceremony in Atlanta next January.

The late-Clarence Knebel, who owned Knebel's Processing Plant in Belmont; and Ralph Stayer, the retired chairman of the board for Johnsonville Sausage, will join other award winners from New York, Minnesota, Arkansas and Kansas.

Clarence, who passed away in December of 1993, dedicated his life to the meat industry, which led him beyond his community and his plant and into national service for the meat industry. He served as vice-president of the State Meat Inspection Advisory Board with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. He was a registered lobbyist for the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors, of which he was extensively involved in its growth to become one of the nation's premier state meat processor organizations. He also served as a member of the American Association of Meat Processors Governmental Affairs Committee and their research committee, was a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., a former President of the American Association of Meat Processors, and a director of the National Livestock and Meat Board and the Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council.

Stayer retired in 2015 after 47 years as chairman of the board for Johnsonville Sausage. He parents, Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, co-founded a little butcher shop near Sheboygan Falls in 1945 and eventually began turning out sausage using family recipes dating to 19th-century Austria. Under Stayer's leadership, the company has grown into a multimillion-dollar business and has become the top national brand of sausage. He became known for his business philosophy, which is based on empowering employees to take ownership of business results. In 1990, Stayer established the Leadership Dynamics consulting firm, which specializes in coaching leaders of large organizations on strategy and execution through people. Ralph has been an Independent Director at Brunswick Corporation since 2002. He serves as Director at Johnsonville Sausage LLC and is the National Trustee of Boys and Girls Clubs in the Midwest region.

To be qualified for nomination to the Hall of Fame, candidates must have contributed significant innovation, achieved notable business success or otherwise positively impacted their organization, institution or larger industry segment. In addition, those nominees chosen for induction must have undertaken noteworthy community service or philanthropy during their careers and upon retirement.

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