MIDDLETON, WI — Foremost Farms USA has named Brenda Dehart as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2025. Dehart steps into the role following the resignation of Greg Schlafer, who led the cooperative through a pivotal transformation period beginning in December 2019. Schlafer stepped down on April 11 to pursue new opportunities after guiding the organization through financial recovery and modernization.
Dehart’s appointment reflects the board’s strategic decision to promote from within and signals a continuation of the cooperative’s recent momentum. Prior to her promotion, Dehart served as Chief Financial Officer at Foremost Farms for over a year. In that time, she played a significant role in streamlining financial operations and enhancing organizational collaboration across departments.
“Brenda brings an authentic passion for delivering maximum value to our farmer-members,” said Joel Eigenbrood, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Since joining Foremost, she has earned the full trust and respect of the leadership team and has been instrumental in breaking down silos to drive stronger cross-functional collaboration.”
Dehart holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Concordia University Wisconsin. She also contributes to broader leadership efforts outside the organization, currently serving on the Board of Directors for Female Strong Chicago, an organization focused on empowering young women in leadership and entrepreneurship.
Her appointment comes at a time when Foremost Farms, a cooperative owned by hundreds of dairy farmers across the Midwest, is navigating a competitive and rapidly evolving dairy landscape. The organization is known for producing dairy products for both domestic and international markets, with facilities across Wisconsin and several neighboring states.
Dehart assumes leadership as the cooperative continues its focus on operational excellence, innovation, and member-first values. In recent years, Foremost Farms has invested in infrastructure improvements and digital modernization, including the establishment of a new headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin. These changes helped the organization move out of a period of financial difficulty and into a more stable and growth-oriented phase under Schlafer’s direction.
Schlafer’s departure was not abrupt; it was part of a planned leadership transition. He joined Foremost Farms in late 2019 during a time of financial strain and successfully guided the cooperative out of bank forbearance. His leadership was characterized by tough, strategic choices, which included restructuring efforts and targeted investments to reposition the cooperative in the market.
Dehart’s leadership is expected to build upon that foundation. Industry observers suggest her financial acumen and collaborative leadership style are well-suited to guide Foremost Farms through its next phase, which may include further market expansion and product diversification. In her first public comments as CEO, Dehart expressed gratitude for the board’s confidence and reaffirmed her commitment to the cooperative’s core mission.
“I am deeply honored to lead this incredible organization,” Dehart said in a company statement. “Foremost Farms has a proud heritage and a promising future, and I look forward to working side-by-side with our employees, members, and partners to create long-term value across the entire value chain.”
Foremost Farms’ leadership change also arrives amid broader trends in the agricultural and food production industries, including rising consumer interest in sustainability, increasing supply chain complexity, and growing demand for protein-rich dairy products in global markets. As such, Dehart’s leadership will be pivotal in shaping the cooperative’s response to both opportunities and challenges in the years ahead.
Her appointment is widely seen as a vote of confidence in the cooperative’s current strategic trajectory and underscores Foremost Farms’ commitment to nurturing talent from within. Dehart’s role as CEO is not only a milestone in her own career but also a meaningful moment for an organization that prides itself on being farmer-owned and forward-thinking.
