Taking on the role of Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Frank has joined the Organic Valley cooperative’s Chief roster, effective January 23. He will be succeeding outgoing CEO Bob Kirchoff.
“It’s truly an honor for me to join the cooperative. I have a deep admiration for the mission of this organization, and I’m excited to collaborate to drive continued success into the future!” Frank said. “I look forward to working with the board, the farmer-members, and teams across the cooperative and the industry to expand the impact of this revolutionary and independent food lighthouse, while staying true to its values and mission of producing ethically sourced food from organic family farms.”
Frank joins the cooperative from a 25-year career at Hormel Foods, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a strong ability to drive business growth. He began his journey with Hormel Foods in 1998, holding various senior roles in product and brand management. In 2009, he took on the role of Vice President of Marketing at MegaMex Foods. He was later promoted to President and CEO of MegaMex Foods, where he successfully led global supply chain efforts and brought successful consumer packaged goods to the market.
According to the release, Frank has departed from his role at Hormel as Group Vice President of grocery products to join Organic Valley as its third-ever CEO.
“We are happy to welcome Jeff as our next CEO to guide organic food and farming into the future,” said Steve Pierson, President of the Organic Valley Board of Directors and a dairy farmer from Oregon. “He shares our values and vision of nourishing people, animals, and the earth through ethically sourced organic food from small family farms. He has the skills and experience to navigate the complex challenges facing small organic family farms.”
Frank holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and Spanish from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and an executive certificate from UCLA's Anderson School of Management. He has also completed the Executive Education program at Harvard Business School.
As Frank takes on the reigns, he will be succeeding outgoing CEO Kirchoff as he will begin his retirement; his last day will be January 31.
“I am confident that Jeff will continue to uphold and enhance the reputation and values of Organic Valley,” Kirchoff said. “I think it’s the perfect time for new leadership to guide the co-op’s next phase of growth. I’m so proud of the hard work farmers and employees have put in to keep this cooperative moving forward. I am so grateful for having the opportunity the cooperative gave me and the support along the way.”
Congratulations, Jeff Frank, as you start this new chapter.
