Cooperative Board & Management

Gregory I. Wickham , Chief Executive Officer

Gregory Wickham is the Chief Executive Officer of Dairylea Cooperative Inc., a $1.2 billion milk marketing cooperative that also offers farm services to farmers, including buying, lending, insurance and risk management. In addition, he serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Northeast Area Council of Dairy Farmers of America, the largest milk marketing cooperative in the nation with more than $8 billion in sales annually. The two cooperatives joined forces in 1999 to market milk collectively through Dairy Marketing Services LLC.

Greg is a graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, where he received a degree in agricultural economics, and the University of Hartford, where he received his M.B.A. He is based at Dairylea’s headquarters in Syracuse, New York.

Prior to joining Dairylea in 1997, he worked for the Farm Credit Bank of Springfield (CoBank’s predecessor) from 1978 to 1987; then joined the agricultural division of Agway Inc. from 1988 to 1995; and moved to CoBank in the fall of 1995.

He resides in Manlius, New York with his wife, Lisa.  They have three children.

Clyde E. Rutherford, President

Clyde E. Rutherford is the president of Dairylea Cooperative Inc., a position he has held since 1978. Clyde and his wife, Jeannette, in partnership with members Elmer and Anne Johnson, operate a 500-acre dairy farm in Otego, NY, which produces 1.8 million pounds of raw milk annually. Clyde is active in industry associations on the national and regional level.

On the national level, he is a director of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), serving as second vice president and in the past served as its assistant secretary/treasurer. Regionally, he is on the Board of Directors of O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc.; vice president of Dairy One; a director and member of the Executive Committee of Empire Livestock Marketing, LLC, and a director of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield of Central New York.

Board of Directors

Dairylea Cooperative Inc. is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors elected by its membership. The Board of Directors meets monthly to discuss Cooperative business, receive management updates and set policy that will ensure the Cooperative's continued success.

District 1		Perry Dewey, Jr.
District 2		David R. Chamberlain, Treasurer
District 3		Todd Hathorn
District 4		G. Douglas Young
District 5		James Madigan
District 6		Raymond J. Diebold, First Vice President
District 7		Sanford Stauffer
District 8		William Beeman, Second Vice President and Secretary
District 9		Clyde Rutherford, President & Chairman
District 10		Glen Gasstrom
District 11		Lawrence Woodruff, Jr.
District 12		Edgar A. King
Cayuga Marketing		Dale Van Erden
Conesus		Arnold Dueppengiesser
Cortland		Calvin Wood, Assistant Treasurer
Mount Joy		Donald Risser
Oneida-Madison		Richard Baldwin

Resolutions Committee

The Resolutions Committee serves to present to the Cooperative Board, delegates and general membership, statements setting forth the official policy of the Cooperative with respect to regulating legislative, economic and marketing issues affecting the members of the Cooperative. Members of the Resolutions Committee are elected by the membership within each District and serve for a term concurrent with that of the District's Director.

District Representatives

Each District can have at least four Representatives, two of which are appointed by the Director and two elected by members of that District. These individuals work with the Director and representatives of the Membership Department in promoting Dairylea programs to members and non-members within the area. They also are responsible for attending periodic Board of Directors Meetings, the Annual Meeting and District meetings. District Representatives serve for a term concurrent with that of the District's Director.

Cooperative Structure Committee

This committee works to review the Cooperative's structure and the roles of existing membership programs to ensure that meaningful, quality information is communicated to members. Recommendations of the Committee are brought before the Board and, if appropriate, the delegate body for their consideration. Members of the Cooperative Structure Committee are appointed by the President.

Delegates

Each District is entitled to elect one delegate for every 15 members. These individuals act as representatives of their District and are required to attend District meetings, the Annual Meeting and other events, as necessary. Delegates serve for a term concurrent with that of the District's Director.