By Blake Jackson
The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) has announced its 2026 individual honors, recognizing 12 dairy industry leaders for their lasting contributions to cheese manufacturing, innovation, and service. The honorees will be celebrated during the WCMA Recognition Breakfast, sponsored by dsm-firmenich, at CheeseExpo on April 16, 2026.
Receiving WCMA’s highest honor, the Life Member Award, is Doug Simon, a third-generation cheese industry leader with decades of service to both WCMA and the dairy sector. Simon’s career has spanned leadership roles at Simon’s Specialty Cheese, Trega Foods, Agropur, and most recently Cheese Merchants.
A former WCMA president, Simon played a key role in industry advocacy, dairy growth initiatives, and securing support for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Dairy Research.
The 2026 Luminary Awards will be presented to Greg Anderson and Linda Lee. Anderson, a longtime dairy sourcing leader for Kroger, is recognized for his expertise in cheese procurement, quality assurance, and industry collaboration.
Lee is honored for her 51-year career bridging dairy operations and sales, most notably with Prairie Farms Dairy, and for her leadership within WCMA and regional cheese organizations.
Named Cheese Industry Champions are Daryl Larson and Phil and Mary Lindemann. Larson is recognized for guiding Bongards Creameries through significant growth and modernization, benefiting cooperative members and expanding processing capacity.
Phil and Mary Lindemann are honored for more than four decades of leadership at Pine River Pre-Pack, where their focus on quality, innovation, and clean-label products helped build a globally recognized cheese spread brand.
The Distinguished Service Awards will go to supplier partners Leo Bohanon and Craig Campbell for advancing dairy processing technology and engineering solutions that support plant efficiency, safety, and growth.
Vanguard Awards recipients Richard Guggisberg and Tom Rouleau are celebrated for trailblazing careers in cheesemaking and technical leadership, while the Babcock Awards will honor John Jaeggi and Dr. Phil Tong for their exceptional contributions to dairy education, research, and industry advancement.
Photo Credit: wisconsin-cheese-makers-association
Categories: Wisconsin, Business