Hilmar’s David Ahlem to retire, moving to a Board Advisor Role

Hilmar, Calif. October 3, 2024. Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., one of the world’s largest cheese manufacturers and a global supplier of high-quality whey ingredients, today announced that early next year CEO David Ahlem will step down from his role after almost 10 years at the helm and a total of 21 years with the company.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredible group of owners, employees and dairy farmers for the past 21 years,” Ahlem said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together.”

Ahlem added that he is looking forward to spending more time with his family next year.

Hilmar is well positioned for the future, said Chairman of the Board Jim Ahlem. “We are grateful for David’s leadership, under which Hilmar has grown to become a leading producer of natural American cheese and whey ingredients worldwide.

“We are delighted we will continue to benefit from David’s experience as he steps into a Board Advisor role next year.”

The board began a search process two months ago and will consider internal and external candidates. “We intend to have a successor in place in early next year to ensure a smooth transition,” Jim Ahlem said.

He added, “Hilmar’s vision remains unchanged: to be the best in the world at efficiently producing functional cheese and whey ingredients at scale.”

David Ahlem attributes Hilmar’s success over the past 40 years to an “exceptional” company culture and way of working together – The Hilmar Way. We have a great working relationship with employees, owners, dairy farmers and customers.

“Hilmar is bigger than any one person. We have accomplished a great deal over the last decade. We are a global leader in the marketplace actively demonstrating the power and promise of dairy to improve lives together. I look forward to watching Hilmar’s forward momentum continue,” he said.

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About Hilmar™

Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. uses the power and promise of dairy to improve lives together. We provide health and nutrition for consumers, contribute to brand success for our customers, create opportunities for employees, support independent milk producers and improve the communities where we live and work. With a focus on collaborative product innovation, real-time scalability and a progressive approach to sustainability, Hilmar^TM is a global leader in efficiently producing functional cheese and whey ingredients at scale. We deliver high-quality products to customers in more than 50 countries. Founded in 1984, Hilmar operates manufacturing plants in Hilmar, California and Dalhart, Texas. A third state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Dodge City, Kansas, will open in late 2024. For more information, visit www.hilmar.com and LinkedIn @Hilmar.

Media Contact:
Denise Skidmore
209-656-1197
dskidmore at hilmarcheese.com

Hilmar, Calif. May 31, 2024. Sixty-seven students demonstrating academic performance and community involvement will each receive a scholarship to help fund their higher education goals through Hilmar Cheese Company’s annual scholarship program. This program, which has existed since 2003, is one of the many ways Hilmar Cheese helps achieve its company purpose to improve lives together

The scholarship program awarded $40,000 in four categories – children of employees, children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar Cheese, part-time Visitor Center staff and students pursing an agricultural undergraduate degree in the communities where the company operates.

Eight children of employees of Hilmar Cheese Company, two part-time Hilmar Cheese Visitor Center staff, and three children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar received scholarships. Thirty-eight students pursuing an agricultural major living in the counties where the company is located also received scholarships. This last category is for students not affiliated with the company; but dedicated to the agricultural industry and living in Merced or Stanislaus counties in California or Dallam or Hartley counties in Texas.

Three part-time visitor center employees, eleven employee children and two children of dairy farmers who ship milk to Hilmar also received an additional scholarship for a second year to help continue their education.

The Hilmar Cheese Company scholarship program reflects the company’s ongoing support of higher education and its commitment to employees, dairy farm families, the California and Texas agricultural industries and the communities where Hilmar operates.

Qualifying students are encouraged to apply November 1 through February 1, 2025. For more information about Hilmar Cheese Company’s scholarship program, visit the About Us Overview section of www.hilmar.com.