HOW WE MET: Laura and I actually haven’t met in person, but we’ve been exchanging emails for about three months. I volunteered to help with alumni communications and fundraising for Alpha Zeta Fraternity, a co-ed, professional agricultural group that I was involved in during my time at Penn State University. With more than a decade of marketing/communications experience, Laura seemed like someone who could give an expert’s opinion on how the dairy industry is performing in the area of public relations.

Junior, Penn State University Intern with Center for Dairy Excellence Based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Background Q. In what area are you pursuing a degree? I'm majoring in agribusiness management with an international agriculture minor. Q. What is your dairy background? I grew up helping at my grandparents’ farm, doing tasks such as feeding calves and milking. Though my immediate family does not have a farm of our own, we were (and still are) heavily involved in raising heifers as well as breeding and showing dairy cows.

Age: 54 Location: Clovis, New Mexico My dairy’s history: We originally rented two dairies in California and then relocated to a rented dairy in Stephenville, Texas, for five years. We moved to Clovis about 16 years ago and built our current dairy, El Dorado Dairy, 11 years ago. Currently, we are milking about 3,200 head, raising all of our heifers and farming about 3,000 acres. My three sons do a lot of the management of the dairy.

Age: 38 Location: Dalton, Minnesota My dairy industry background: Growing up on a dairy farm in West Central Minnesota gave me the opportunity to become involved in dairy at a young age. Our family milked Holsteins and raised crops for our heifers and livestock. Since graduating from North Dakota State University, my career has included working with dairy producers as a creamery field representative, food sales and marketing, and currently as a state dairy inspector.

There have been big changes at Holmdale Farms in the last several years, as fifth-generation farmer Todd Holm has gradually assumed day-to-day management, then ownership of the Bruce County, Ontario, dairy operation. At first, Todd worked with his dad, George, then in 2000 he took over management, and purchased the operation in 2007.

HOW WE MET: Phil was working in the cubicle next to me at the San Francisco International Airport earlier this year. I was waiting for a connection to Boise, Idaho, when the flight was cancelled. Phil expressed his condolences about my travel delays. I asked where he was going, and he said to Kansas City for a funeral. I exchanged my condolences.

This article was #7 of the Top 25 most well-read articles on www.progressivedairy.com in 2012. to jump to the article. It was published in the April 11, 2012 issue. Click here for the full list of the Top 25. PD Editor Emily Caldwell got a behind-the-scenes look at a robotic dairy start-up, where consultant Paul Berdell walked the Leech family of Virginia through transitioning their 240-cow herd to four Lely robots.

HOW WE MET: I met Rachel a few years ago through mutual friends when I was looking for someone to watch a little person very near and dear to me. I see Rachel a few days every week. While she knows what I do for a living, the majority of the time our conversations are about kids and family. Knowing she’s a mom trying to do right for her kids and those entrusted to her each day, I thought she’d be a good example of a primary household shopper from small-town, middle America.

Jeff Nonay is a third-generation dairy farmer in Alberta. His grandfather’s family business grew to include his father, Dave, and his uncle, Dan, and moved to its present location near Legal – 30 kilometres north of Edmonton – in 1976. At that time it was incorporated as Lakeside Dairy Ltd. Jeff joined the corporation in 2001 and moved up to president in 2007, a position he still holds. Jeff’s sister, Stephanie, is expected to join within the next year. According to Jeff, she “has earned her way to participate on the ownership level.”

Johnny McConnaughhay’s receptionist’s eyes were wide open, wider than he had ever seen. She looked at him as if he had done something wrong. The concern that filled her eyes told him that he should hurry. Two men were waiting to see him in the lobby. McConnaughhay, a veterinarian at All Queen City Veterinary Clinic, came into his clinic’s waiting room and saw two men waiting for him that day in 1988 in Hastings, Nebraska. The men wore tailored black jackets and black pants.