Dennis Devore Regional Representative Holstein Association USA Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Territory: Southwest Wisconsin and Iowa

Education

I received my B.S. in dairy science from the University of Illinois in 1983.

Background/Experience

I was born and raised on a registered Holstein farm in southern Illinois and farmed with my father and brother until 1991. During this time we converted from milking 50 head of grade cows to nearly 100 head of registered Holsteins. This is where I learned the joy that breeding better cows can bring a person.

I spent two years as the president of the Illinois Ayrshire Club and have bred three All-American-nominated animals. From 1991 until 2005 I managed the Southern Illinois University Dairy Center, and for the last four-and-a-half years, I worked in the A.I. industry.

The best story from your first day on the job.

My first week was spent in the Brattleboro, Vermont, office going through orientation. I was amazed at how openly I was accepted. I was also thrilled to see how much everybody pulled the rope the same direction. That hasn’t always been the case at other places I’ve worked.

What are your new responsibilities?

There are three main functions to my new position. I try to increase membership of the association, promote the use of Holstein programs and then also train members how to properly use these programs to increase the value of their cattle.

What excites you most about working in your new role?

I have always gotten a charge out of making something good, even better. In this role I will be helping people add value to their cattle and their dairy operation. By helping producers keep up their identification and keeping them up-to-date on the latest tools to improve profitability, I can help our members increase their profit. PD

"By helping producers keep up their identification and keeping them up-to-date on the latest tools to improve profitability, I can help our members increase their profit."