The SDFRC Operational Advisory Committee (OAC) advises the center on overall policies and program goals and develops short and long-term research objectives to ensure that approved projects meet the research directives of the center and the Dairy Management, Inc. National Research Plan.

The committee consists of industry representatives, university advisers, DMI staff, center directors and faculty members. Members of this board represent some of the most innovative regional and national companies now processing dairy products, functional dairy ingredients and foods formulated with dairy components. We are very proud to be associated with our partners and grateful for their multidimensional input into our center programs with their expertise, experience, time commitment, funding, and most importantly, their vision for the future.

OAC Members 2008

• Arti Bedi, Director, Research & Development, Land O'Lakes, Inc.
• Jorge Bouzas, Manager, Ingredients Research, Hershey Foods Corp.
• Robert E. Burrage, N.C. Dairy Foundation
• George L. Catignani, Professor, Department of Food Science, NCSU
• Mitch Davis, General Manager, Davisco Foods International, Inc.
• E. Allen Foegeding, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Food Science, NCSU
• Tom Helm, Director, Food Technology, Grande Cheese Company
• Alice Heth, Director, Yoplait New Ventures R&D, General Mills
• Michael Javes, Avoca, Inc.
• Todd Klaenhammer, SDFRC Director, Distinguished University Professor, Dept. of Food Science, NCSU
• Joseph Light, Senior Director, National Starch
• Fu I. Mei, Program Manager, Kraft Foods Global Technology
• William Benjy Mikel, Head, Dept. of Food Sci., Nutrition & Health Promotion, MSU
• Keith Oakley, Executive Director, College Advancement, NCSU
• Kayla Polzin, Cargill, Inc.
• Dennis Romero, Culture Systems & Molecular Biology, Danisco USA Inc.
• John Rushing, Professor and Department Extension Leader, Department of Food Science, NCSU
• K.P. Sandeep, Assoc. Professor, Department of Food Science, NCSU; Director, Center for Advanced Processing & Packaging Studies
• Donn Ward, Head, Department of Food Science, NCSU
• Andrew Yeung, Director, Product Innovation, Dairy Management, Inc.
• Eric Young, Executive Director, Southern Association of Agriculture Experiment Station Directors, NCSU