Organic Valley Promotes From Within for EVP Role

Farmer-owned cooperative Organic Valley has promoted Shawna Nelson to the role of EVP of membership. Nelson started her career as an intern at Organic Valley and has steadily moved up within the organization over the last 18 years.

Advancing from her most recent job as VP of the dairy pool, Nelson succeeds Travis Forgues, who will be working on his family farm and its Hidden Springs Creamery. She will leverage her experience in the areas of human resources, marketing, sales, analysis, field operations and dairy pool management in her position on the executive leadership team. 

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Her responsibilities span the co-op’s farmer-member touchpoints and all the farmer pools within the organization. Nelson will also oversee programs including member communication, sustainability and veterinary services. 

"I am honored and elated to take the next step with the cooperative and continue serving its mission to create a stable economic model for organic family farms,” Nelson said. “Since 2005, I’ve known Organic Valley is the place I am meant to be. I look forward to working more closely with CEO Jeff Frank, the rest of our executive leadership team, board members, farmer-members and teams across the cooperative to realize the immense potential for Organic Valley’s continued growth and success.”

Frank said that Nelson will help shape the co-op’s next phase of growth “We are thrilled to grow leadership from within the cooperative and appoint Shawna to her new role,” he remarked. “Her substantial experience in leading and supporting our farmers and her demonstrated commitment to the mission of this cooperative make her a powerful leader for our team, and for the agricultural sector in the U.S. more broadly. Shawna has strong skills, a track record of success, necessary knowledge and a clear mission focus. I know she will make a meaningful difference working together with the farmers who own this cooperative.”

Founded in 1988 and based in La Farge, Wis., Organic Valley is owned by more than 1,600 organic family farms. The brand includes a range of products sourced from organic farms.