MAOLA Leadership

Driven to Serve, With Love

Our Executive Team, our Board of Directors, and our Leadership Council help guide, support, and advance the well-being of our farmers, cooperative, and customers.

Board of Directors

The Maola Board of Directors includes 15 dedicated farmers and one outside director with firsthand knowledge of agriculture and dairy production. This group is the backbone of our cooperative governance, ensuring we hear and prioritize our farmers’ voices and interests. Guided by their expertise and commitment, our Board helps shape Maola’s strategic direction.

Kevin Satterwhite

PRESIDENT

David Pool

First Vice PRESIDENT

Roddy Purser

Second Vice PRESIDENT

Laird Bowman

Brian Detwiler

Billy French

Brian Haugh

Matthew Hoff

Maurica King

Lenard Kresge

Jennifer Lawrence

Lance Shedden

Ken Smith

Richard Speer

Matthew Toms

AJ Wormuth

ABOUT OUR Leadership Team

Executive Team

The Maola Executive Team leads with purpose and vision, driving the cooperative towards excellence in all we do. Comprised of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in key industries, this team ensures Maola remains a leader in sustainable practices, product quality, and innovation. Their dedication helps us deliver on our promise to serve our farmers and customers with integrity.

Jon Cowell

CEO

Jon Cowell serves as Chief Executive Officer of Maola, leading the cooperative’s efforts to support dairy farm families and provide high-quality dairy products to customers and consumers. As CEO, Jon oversees the organization’s strategic direction, financial health, and operational performance, ensuring that Maola remains a strong and sustainable partner for its farmers and our communities. He works closely with leadership teams across finance, operations, sales, and marketing to drive growth, efficiency, and innovation in an evolving dairy landscape.

Jon joined Maola in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer, where he strengthened the cooperative’s financial position and modernized key business functions. Before that, he held leadership roles in major consumer packaged goods companies where he served as Vice President and Corporate Controller.

Jon also serves on the board of the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) and the executive committee of the National Milk Producers Federation, advocating for policies that benefit dairy farmers and the industry.

Committed to sustainability and long-term success, Jon focuses on ensuring Maola continues to provide value to its farmer-owners while maintaining a strong presence in the marketplace.

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Todd Aarons

EVP Operations

Todd Aarons serves as Executive Vice President of Operations at Maola, overseeing the cooperative’s processing facilities and ensuring efficient, high-quality dairy production. His responsibilities include optimizing operational performance, managing division expenses, and driving continuous improvement in safety, quality, waste reduction, and productivity.

Todd joined Maola in 2015, bringing over 30 years of experience in dairy processing and manufacturing. Before joining Maola, he held various leadership roles at Darigold, including Senior Director of Manufacturing, where he led large-scale production operations and process improvement initiatives.

With a deep understanding of dairy processing and supply chain efficiency, Todd ensures that Maola’s operations remain competitive, sustainable, and well-positioned to meet the needs of both farmers and customers.

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Chad Dubbe

CFO

As Chief Financial Officer of Maola, Chad Dubbe leads the cooperative’s financial strategy, ensuring long-term fiscal health and operational efficiency. He oversees finance, accounting, payroll, risk management, and IT, working to strengthen Maola’s financial foundation while supporting its farmers and sustainability initiatives. His role is critical in ensuring that every financial decision aligns with Maola’s commitment to delivering high-quality dairy products while maintaining a competitive and responsible business model.

Chad joined Maola in August 2024, bringing extensive financial leadership experience from the dairy and food industries. Prior to this role, he spent over 15 years at Leprino Foods Company, where he most recently served as Vice President of Finance for the Cheese Global Business Unit. His expertise in financial planning, cost management, and business strategy helps Maola navigate market challenges and identify opportunities for growth.

Chad holds a degree in Finance from Gustavus Adolphus College and is committed to ensuring that Maola remains financially strong, competitive, and well-positioned to serve its farmers and customers for generations to come.

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Mike John

EVP Milk Marketing

Mike John serves as Executive Vice President of Milk Marketing at Maola, overseeing raw milk and ingredient sales, hauling logistics, and field services for current and prospective members. He plays a key role in managing the cooperative’s milk supply, optimizing logistics, and ensuring strong relationships between Maola’s farmers and customers.

Mike joined Maola in 2004 and has extensive experience across the dairy and agribusiness sectors. Before his current role, he worked as Business Development Manager at Land O’Lakes and held various leadership positions in agribusiness banking and at Hershey Foods. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of Atlantic Dairy Cooperative, gaining deep financial and operational expertise in cooperative management.

Mike holds a degree in Agricultural Economics from Penn State University and an MBA from Frostburg State University. His leadership helps ensure Maola’s milk marketing strategies align with industry demand while supporting the cooperative’s farmer-owners.

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Janet Littig

EVP
Human Resources

Janet Littig serves as Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Maola, overseeing all aspects of human resources, including strategy, talent management and recruiting, benefits, and business partnering and labor relations. She leads initiatives that support workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, and business strategy alignment, ensuring Maola attracts and retains top talent while maintaining a strong company culture.

Janet joined Maola in 2021, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in the food, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. Prior to Maola, she held senior HR roles at Smithfield Foods, Textron, Tate & Lyle, and Ingredion, Inc. Her experience includes corporate HR strategy, global talent management, and large-scale organizational development.

Janet is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Executive Network and holds a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. She also earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication from Northern Illinois University.

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Mike Lowes

EVP Consumer Product Sales

Mike Lowes serves as Executive Vice President of Consumer Products Sales at Maola, leading the cooperative’s sales strategy for its branded and private-label dairy products. He is responsible for strengthening customer relationships, driving profitable growth, and expanding market opportunities for Maola’s consumer products. His expertise spans strategy development, acquisitions, supply chain management, and sales execution.

Mike joined Maola in 2020, bringing extensive experience in the food and beverage industry. He has held leadership roles at major national brands, including Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Darigold, and Talking Rain, where he played a key role in sales growth, market expansion, and operational efficiencies.

With a strong background in sales and strategic growth, Mike ensures Maola’s consumer products remain competitive in the marketplace while delivering value to both customers and the cooperative’s farms. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan at Dearborn.

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Lee Perry

EVP Food Safety, Quality, & Regulatory

Lee Perry serves as Executive Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory (FSQR) at Maola, leading the cooperative’s efforts to uphold the highest standards in product safety and quality. In this role, he fosters a robust food safety culture and ensures that FSQR considerations are integrated into all strategic business decisions. Lee oversees FSQR employees across Maola’s six processing plants, providing guidance, training, and development opportunities to maintain excellence in dairy production.

Lee joined Maola in 2024, bringing over a decade of experience from ADM, where he most recently served as Global Vice President of Quality and Food Safety. At ADM, he managed quality and food safety across more than 200 countries and markets, overseeing a diverse range of products, including spray-dried dairy products, cheese processing, flavors, dietary supplements, pet nutrition, oilseeds, and sweeteners. His leadership encompassed the management of more than 1,800 team members.

Lee holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Idaho State University. His expertise and leadership ensure that Maola continues to deliver fresh, nutritious, and safe dairy products to consumers in local communities.

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Lindsay Reames

EVP External Relations  & Sustainability

Lindsay Reames leads Maola’s industry-leading sustainability initiatives, driving real, measurable change on dairy farms and across the supply chain. Under her leadership, Maola has become a recognized pioneer in on-farm sustainability, forging groundbreaking partnerships that put actionable, science-based sustainability practices in place at the farm level. Through her work, Maola was among the first dairy cooperatives to collaborate with customers and industry leaders to implement programs that directly reduce environmental impact while improving farm profitability.

Since joining Maola in 2016, Lindsay has overseen the development of sustainability programs that have earned national recognition, including awards for environmental stewardship and supply chain collaboration. In addition to her sustainability leadership, Lindsay directs Maola’s marketing and communications efforts, expanding brand visibility and strengthening industry presence. She has led strategic brand positioning, consumer engagement campaigns, and partnership development that have elevated Maola’s reputation in the dairy sector. Her work has resulted in numerous industry awards and continues to reinforce the brand’s commitment to transparency, quality, and farmer values.

Lindsay serves as an industry representative on the MilkPEP Board and holds leadership roles within the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairyand the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), where she helps guide national priorities on sustainability, marketing, and advocacy for the dairy industry.

Before joining Maola, Lindsay served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia, leading major policy initiatives focused on environmental challenges and economic incentives for agriculture. She also previously worked in governmental relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, advocating for policies that support farmers.

Lindsay earned a pair of degrees from Virginia Tech: her Master of Public Administration and her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics.

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Leadership Council

Our Leadership Council is the link between our cooperative’s management, Board of Directors, and farmers. Throughout the year, they serve as a sounding board, providing valuable feedback and insights on key topics. By fostering open communication and collaboration, our Leadership Council helps ensure the cooperative’s success for all stakeholders.

MAOLA Leadership

Leadership Council

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