Dilland built stronger MMPA,
able to adapt to market trends
Editor’s note: This article is reprinted from the annual report
issue of “Michigan Milk Messenger,” the membership magazine of
the Michigan Milk Producers Association.
or three-and-a-half decades, Michigan Milk
Producers Association (MMPA) has benefited
from the steadfast and dedicated leadership
of John Dilland. He has successfully led
MMPA through a continuously changing
path. MMPA’s journey through volatile markets, changing
leaders and evolving industry issues was guided by a man
with the integrity and intelligence needed to be successful for
generations.
As the controller, director of finance and then the general
manager of MMPA, Dilland's leadership ability helped direct
the cooperative through some challenging times. As the
largest milk marketing cooperative based in Michigan,
MMPA has a great deal of influence on the milk marketing
climate within the Great Lakes region. As the “numbers
man” behind the cooperative, Dilland helped shape MMPA
into one of the most financially stable cooperatives in the
country.
Dilland’s initial challenge when he began his career at
MMPA was to restructure the balance sheet of the
cooperative. He then helped lead the transition from the fluid
market into a high-quality line of value-added dairy products.
This move, coupled with streamlining plant production,
strengthened the overall economy for Michigan dairy
farmers. The overall effect generated additional earnings,
which gave the cooperative the ability to pay higher
premiums to members.
While he was serving as the director of finance, Dilland
helped craft one of the first dairy cooperative partnerships
with Leprino Foods Inc. This initial agreement helped both
parties become successful in Michigan. The MMPA-Leprino
partnership helped assist MMPA in becoming more
diversified and, ultimately, financially stronger.
In 2003, Dilland was appointed MMPA’s general manager.
Since taking over the leadership reins of the cooperative, he
has again worked to fine-tune the cooperative’s marketing
structure. In 2005, another landmark arrangement between
Leprino Foods, Dairy Farmers of America and MMPA was
signed, further solidifying the milk-supply agreement. As he
gets ready to leave MMPA, a new chapter of milk processing
at the MMPA Ovid plant will begin.
Dilland’s ability to project long-range goals in a turbulent
business environment has allowed the cooperative to take
advantage of changing market trends without sacrificing the
cooperative’s mission to market members’ milk to the
greatest possible advantage.
His leadership abilities have also been tapped by national
organizations. He has served in leadership capacities on
several national organizations, including the National
Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Society of
Accountants for Cooperatives and the National Milk
Producers Federation. On the state level, he served on the
board of directors for the Michigan FFA Foundation and
Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation.
The members and employees of MMPA will miss the
leadership, experience and friendship Dilland has provided
this past 35 years. We wish him and his wife, Barb, well in
retirement.
Galarneau new
MMPA leader
Clay Galarneau has
been selected as the new general manager
of Michigan Milk Producers Association
(MMPA), succeeding John Dilland. Co-op President Ken
Nobis announced the selection at MMPA’s annual
meeting. Galarneau is a 25-year employee of the
cooperative, having served in the accounting and sales
departments, and most recently serving as director for
manufactured product sales and plant operations.
“Clay has a strong financial background and has led a
successful manufactured products sales team that has
expanded sales and increased returns to the dairy farmer
members of MMPA,” said Nobis. “He has supervised the
co-op’s manufacturing plants and most recently has led
the MMPA team responsible for planning and
implementing the successful expansion of our plant at
Ovid. We are confident that Clay will manage our
cooperative in a manner that will continue to build on the
successes we have enjoyed in the past.”
Galarneau was chosen from a slate of six candidates
following an executive search led by a Washington, D.C.-
based executive search firm that specializes in
cooperative, agricultural and food industry businesses.
Founded in 1916, MMPA is owned and controlled by
more than 2,100 dairy producers in Michigan, Indiana,
Ohio and Wisconsin.
