Bio coming soon

Education: BS Forestry and Horticulture, UW–Madison
Current Title: Vice President
Company/Professional Affiliation: Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
Hometown: Waterloo, WI

Debbie is the Vice President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, Waterloo, WI. She manages sales, public relations, marketing, and administrative functions for the family cheese business. For 20 years they have manufactured artisan, farmstead cheeses using only the fresh, high-quality milk from their own dairy farm.  They are known for our quality cheeses and green energy story as they have a biodigester on the farm that produces electricity using the cow’s waste and waste from the cheese factory. They host many groups of buyers, students and media at their farm and cheese factory.

Before starting their family cheese business with her husband, Debbie worked in marketing at the WI Milk Marketing Board for three years. She oversaw producer communication programs and cheese company communications, events and trade shows. From 1981-1998 she worked at the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection in the Marketing Division managing the International Agri-Business Center. She conducted numerous trade shows, traveled with the Governor on overseas trade missions and oversaw the Alice in Dairyland program, marketing orders and county & district fairs. Debbie worked with numerous Midwest Department’s of Agriculture on marketing and policy. She served as the 1981-82 Alice in Dairyland.   

Debbie has served on the following boards: WALSAA (WI Ag & Life Sciences Alumni Association), WSCI (WI Specialty Cheese Institute), Thrive Board, WI 4-H Foundation Board, Professional Dairy Producers of WI Board, UW Madison CARET member, World Dairy Expo Board and Executive committee member.

She resides in Waterloo, WI with her husband George. They have three children who all work in the family business.

Education: BS Ag Engineering, UW–Madison
Current Title: Vice President
Company/Professional Affiliation: Coloma Farms
Hometown: Coloma, WI

Andy is a fourth generation potato grower in Coloma, Wisconsin. With his father, Steve, they operate Coloma Farms, a 2,700 acre potato and grain farm. Both are very active within the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) and serve on several committees related to marketing, research, environmental issues, and government relations at the state and national levels. Coloma Farms and the WPVGA work pro-actively with researchers and leadership within the UW system to address issues in the vegetable industry. 

Andy received a BS from UW–Madison in Agricultural Engineering and currently serves on the citizen board for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and is a director at the Farming For The Future Foundation.

Taylor Fritsch is an associate attorney with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. He grew up on his family’s dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin and was a UW-Madison CALS student from 2010-2014 graduating with degrees in both agriculture and applied economics and life sciences. He then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln focusing on agricultural and environmental law. He was very active in several student organizations while on campus.

Education: BS Managerial Accounting, UW–Stevens Point
Current Title: President
Company/Professional Affiliation: Gottschalk Cranberry, Inc
Hometown: Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Fawn is a fifth generation cranberry grower with multigenerational family, business, and industry ties to UW CALS, especially to the cranberry researchers. As President of Gottschalk Cranberry, Inc she leads and oversees the business aspect of the marsh.

Fawn currently serves on the Public Relations and Public Policy committees of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association and as an advisor to the board of The Cranberry Institute. She serves on the board for the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area and as Chairperson for the Town of Cranmoor. She is also the Treasurer for the Cranmoor Cooperative Co., a neighborhood water supply co-op. 

Fawn lives with her sons, River and Gavyn, on the family cranberry marsh outside of Wisconsin Rapids, WI, where River has recently started his career as a sixth generation cranberry grower.

Bio coming soon

Education: BS Ag Econ, UW–Madison; MBA, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
Current Title: Director of Financial Planning & Analysis
Company/Professional Affiliation: BDO USA, LLP
Hometown: Chicago, IL

Jeannette is an experienced finance professional and strategic thinker with the ability to translate financial information into actionable insight. In her current role, she is responsible for providing meaningful, timely, and actionable analysis to the Executive Team, Board of Directors, and internal customers, of financial and operational information.

Prior to her career at BDO USA, LLP she was a financial analyst for Baxter Credit Union. She currently resides in Chicago where she is the Treasurer/Board Member of 221-unit condominium association, with an annual operating budget of over $2M.

Education: BA in theater management, UW-Madison; MBA, New York University
Current Title: Retired
Company/Professional Affiliation: marketing, communications, business development and strategy
Hometown: Oshkosh, WI

My farm upbringing in rural central Wisconsin drew my interest to the Ag Dept. My sister and I currently manage our family farm, mostly land rental to neighbor farmers who cash crop. We have special interests in best soil practices, conservation programs, pollinator plots and woodland management.

My BA in theatre management launched me into marketing and promotional roles at Houston Grand Opera. Transitioning to New York City, I went “legit,” got my MBA and moved through a series of retail and product management in an interesting variety of industries from lingerie to sewing notions to ceiling fans.

We capitalized on an opportunity for my husband, an orthopedic surgeon, to relocate back near our roots in Wisconsin and elderly family. I hung out my shingle as a marketing consultant, working mostly with medical practices, an interesting challenge in the throes of consolidation of practices and networks. In retirement, I found rewarding volunteer work for my marketing skills with several nonprofits, most rewardingly with women’s pregnancy services. I’m blessed to live in a beautiful spot on Lake Kegonsa south of Madison and have the joy of a compatible husband and children pursuing interesting careers.

Bio coming soon

Education: BS Natural Science UW-Madison; MBA University of Chicago
Current Title: Chief Innovation Officer & Founder
Company/Professional Affiliation: Flashpoint Strategy
Hometown: Pewaukee, WI

As part of a Wisconsin dairy farming family that dates back to the 1860’s, Kate has been close to the food and agricultural industries since birth.  Professionally has spent over twenty-five years helping shape the landscape of food and beverage innovation.  She has a proven track record for successful brand and product launches that have transformed how consumers eat, drink and are connected to the farms and artisans that create those products. 

After working for Kraft Heinz and Starbucks Coffee Company in roles that included Operations, Product Development, Brand Management, Marketing, Communications and Strategy Development, she founded Flashpoint Strategy to assist entrepreneur’s in growing their start-up businesses while also jump-starting the innovation and business growth of Fortune 500 companies.  She held the position of Chief Marketing Officer at Yakima Chief Hops, rebranding and relaunching the company in global markets elevating it to the #2 Hop company in the world.

In her free time, Kate enjoys exploring and giving back to the world – both locally and globally.  She is an active member of Rotary International and serves on numerous non-for-profit and advisory boards including PeaceTrees Vietnam, Les Dames d’ Escoffier and Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.  She continues her ties to the University by supporting the efforts of the University of Wisconsin Women’s Rowing program where she was part of the Big Ten Championship crew and served as captain her senior year.

Kate now splits her time living on Bainbridge Island and in Yakima, Washington, with her certified therapy dog, Luna.

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon