2010 Iowa DaIry PrIncess eager to sPreaD the - Swiss Valley Farms

Co-op Lost a Great Friend
by Don Boelens
Published Monthly by:
Swiss Valley Farms
Cooperative
P.O. Box 4493
Davenport, IA 52808
563.468.6600 FAX 563.468.6616
www.swissvalley.com
Nancy Feeney
Editor/ Member Relations Mgr.
Swiss Valley Farms, Co. will produce,
distribute and sell value-added, quality
products for our:
Customers & Consumers
Owner/Members
Workforce
Swiss Valley Board Officers
Chair
Pam Bolin................................................Clarksville, IA
Vice Chair
Randy Schaefer....................................Blue Grass, IA
Assistant Secretary
Jeff Nimtz...............................................Monticello, WI
Assistant Treasurer
James Schmitt.............................................Sherrill, IA
Swiss Valley Directors
Loyde M. Beers.......................................Eastman, WI
Steve Klug.....................................Spring Grove, MN
Dale Humpal.........................................Ridgeway, IA
Francis Leibfried..................................Cuba City, WI
G. Joe Lyon....................................................Toledo, IA
Ken Schmitz..............................................Norwalk, WI
Patrick Schroeder..............................Lancaster, WI
Eugene Smith........................................Clinton, WI
page
In late September, Swiss Valley
Farms lost a great supporter and
wonderful friend.
It is with great sadness that we
announce the passing of William Strief,
District 5 Board Member for Swiss
Valley Farms on Sunday, September
26 th . Our deepest sympathies go out
to his wife, Donna, and his children -
Julie, Jolene, Janda, Jodi, Mark, Mike
and Matt -- and 21 grandchildren.
Bill served on the Swiss Valley Farms
Board of Directors for 18 years, being
seated in February of 1992. Bill worked
hard to represent his dairy cooperative,
serving on many committees during
his tenure. His most recent duties as
a Board Member involved serving on
the Budget, Finance and Financial
Standards Committee as well as the
Hauler Subcommittee. Bill also valued
his District 5 district representatives,
always holding an informative and
informal fall meeting with them.
His love for the dairy industry was
a huge part of Bill’s life. He was a long
time member of the Iowa Holstein
Association and the Iowa State Dairy
Association Board, giving updates
on these meetings to the Swiss Valley
Board.
Bill took great pride in his farm,
located in Farley, Iowa, where he and
his son Matt milked 240 Holsteins and
raised their own heifers and feed.
Pam Bolin, Swiss Valley Board
President, had this to say about Bill.
“All of us on the Swiss Valley Farms
Board send our deepest sympathy to
Donna and her family. When you serve
on a board with someone and see them
every month for several years, they and
their family become a part of your life.
Bill was a great guy to be around and
was also a proud dad and grandpa!
CEO Don Boelens
We are all very grateful to the years of
service Bill gave to Swiss Valley Farms.
He will be greatly missed by so many.”
Long time Swiss Valley Farms
CEO Carl Zurborg remembered Bill
as a conscientious Board member. “He
was a regular attendee at Board meetings.
He was also a dedicated family
man to Donna and their children and
grandchildren.”
Past Board Chairman Elmer Paper,
Stockton, Iowa, said that while he did
not serve very long as chairman when
Bill was on the Board, he remembered
him doing a good job of representing
the members from his district.
Board Vice Chairperson Randy
Schaefer, Blue Grass, Iowa, remembers
that he and Bill came on the Swiss
Valley Board the same year, 1992. “Bill
always had a quick wit with a ready
smile. He always put the co-op’s best
interests at heart. Bill was also a great
friend and I will truly miss him.”
I know that everyone on our Board
is deeply saddened by Bill’s sudden
passing. Bill’s positive outlook and
contributions will be missed by our
cooperative.
SWISS VALLEY FARMS DAIRYMAN