George Crave is President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, LLC. He oversees the plant management and cheese production. George is a licensed cheesemaker and has traveled to Italy, France and Switzerland to study cheesemaking and affinage.

George and his family own Crave Brothers Dairy Farm. For over 20 years George was in charge of the dairy herd and milk quality at Crave Brothers Dairy Farm. In 2001 he began managing the building and development of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. In 2002 the farmstead cheese factory was completed and the first cheese production began.

George is a 1978 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm & Industry Shortcourse. George served on the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension & Teaching (CARET) for the UW-Madison College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. He is a founding member of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. George is a member of the Wisconsin Cheesemaker’s Association and the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute.

George and his brothers were recognized in 2008 as World Dairy Expo Dairymen of the Year, in 2010 by the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association as Advocates of the Year, in 2017 as Wisconsin Family Business of the Year and in 2020 as Wisconsin Master Agriculturists. They hosted the 2009 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, a three-day outdoor farm show with 80,000 attendees. In 2018 George was inducted into the Guilde Internationale Des Fromagers. George is a 4-H leader and member of Holy Family Catholic Church. He and his wife Debbie have three children – Patrick, Brian and Roseanne and one grandson – Dominic Crave.

Debbie Crave is Vice President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, LLC (CBFC). She manages administration, marketing/sales, and public relations for CBFC.

Debbie Crave was selected as the 1981-82 Alice in Dairyland, and in that position she worked as a marketing specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). She continued working for the Marketing Division of DATCP for 15 years. Among positions she held was Director for the International Agri-Business Center, where she traveled with the Governor on overseas trade missions promoting Wisconsin agriculture and exports. She worked closely with the other Midwestern State Departments of Agriculture on many agricultural marketing and promotional programs.

Debbie joined the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) in July, 1998, working in the Producer & Board Relations area and in Marketing as Director of Events/Communications.

She began working for Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, LLC in 2001.

Debbie graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry and Horticulture in 1981. She presently serves on the UW Madison College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Board of Visitors.

Past Board affiliations: World Dairy Expo Board, Thrive Board, CARET rep for UW Madison College of Agriculture, the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute Board, and advisor to the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Board. She also served on the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Board and the WALSAA (Wisconsin Ag& Life Sciences Alumni Association) Board.

Debbie was a 4-H leader for the Portland Boosters 4-H Club in Dodge County and past 4-H member from Turtle 4-H Club of Rock County. She was born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin. Debbie and her husband George reside on the Crave Brothers Dairy Farm in Waterloo, Wisconsin. They have three children- Patrick, Brian and Roseanne, and one grandson-Dominic Crave.

Louise Malecha with her husband, Todd, own and operate “Malecha Enterprises” which includes: Malecha Dairy, Malecha Farms, Precision Pumping and Malecha Sales.

Louise, HR and Dairy Manager, manages Malecha Dairy and oversees and leads all human resources responsibilities for the dairy. She also mentors several key people within the dairy, to ensure a positive and productive work envirnoment will remain in effect for future years to come.

Louise has homeschooled all seven of their children, which has been a strong foundation in her leadership skills.  She contributes her success to her husband, Todd, and her raising and teaching their children in the agricultural lifestyle, which has given them a strong work ethic and leadership opportunities.

On January 13, 2021, Louise became an International Best Seller when she launched her first book, “Going to Papa and Nana’s Farm”. Her plan is to write a series of children’s books educating the world to what really happens in the agricultural world through the eyes of children.

Louise now enjoys time when she can brighten her grandchildren’s imagination and bring it to life by showing and teaching them activities on their farming operation, as she did her own children.

Louise has a strong passion for teaching, mentoring, health, and fitness.  She believes by a person taking care of their health, it will make a positive effect on their business.

Todd Malecha is the President and Visionary of Malecha Enterprises, a dairy operation in Southern Minnesota that encompasses 2,300 head of cattle, Precision Pumping, an agricultural and environment pumping operation, along with custom straw bailing and chopping services.

Over the course of my career I have developed a passion for achieving goals, growing businesses, and creating new markets. I enjoy the opportunity to identify and cultivate talented leaders within our organizations, and providing servant leadership to aid them in reaching individual and company goals. With a family-first approach I continue to add value and ensure the viability of our operations for generations to come.

Currently my wife and I own and operate four business units, all based at our home/office near Villard, MN. We began our business when we were married in 1989. At that time, we had a Ford Taurus automobile, lived in a $1,000 14′ x 70′ trailer home and had $5,000 of medical bills. Through hard work, creativity and tenacity we have built a substantial agricultural business focusing in both production and custom services. Today, two generations are active in the business. We have seven children. Five of them, and one in-law, have key roles in the businesses.

I am fortunate to have learned from and developed mentor relationships with thought leaders and professionals spanning multiple disciplines all around the world. I believe in continual education and learning, formally and informally, to further my knowledge and effectiveness.

Jennifer Brown, CPA: Jenni is a Director at NutriQuest Business Solutions.

The NutriQuest team is dedicated to helping livestock and row crop producers accomplish their goals by using proven business, operational and financial tools.

As a Consulting CFO, she is a key member of client leadership teams, providing real-time, metrics-based financial reporting and forecasting. Prior to joining NutriQuest, Jenni served as CFO and Controller for a company with operations in grain farming, swine, and beef cattle production. In addition to the finance function, she has experience in strategic planning facilitation, transition in generational leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and developing processes and reporting during periods of growth.

Previously, Jenni was a CPA with Ernst & Young in Chicago, specializing in financial audits of manufacturing companies. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant.

To learn more:  https://www.nutriquest.com

Steve Henry serves as CEO for LongView Farms. He grew up actively participating in the family farm operation. 

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Farm Operation from Iowa State University, he worked as an ag lender in Nebraska for Farm Credit Services and then for Metropolitan.

Since returning to farm in 1988, Steve has taken advantage of numerous educational opportunities including the Ferguson Agri-Management Institute, Texas A & M’s Executive Program for Ag Producers and Purdue’s Top Crop Farmer Program. Steve has served on the Iowa Soybean Association Board of Directors, Heart of Iowa Co-op Board and is currently the President on the Farm Credit Services of America Board. Locally, he is involved in Rotary and Cornerstone Church.

Top Producer of the Year – 2021 WINNER

Chris Hodgson is a Consulting CFO at NutriQuest Business Solutions. With 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles within the manufacturing sector, he has dedicated his career to helping business owners make informed strategic decisions and enhance both financial and operational processes. Chris holds a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and has an inactive CPA certificate.  Before joining NutriQuest, Chris held senior financial positions in various manufacturing firms, where he built a strong track record of driving operational excellence and supporting strategic initiatives. His extensive expertise uniquely positions him as a valuable resource for livestock producers seeking to optimize their financial strategies and improve overall business performance.

Justin Plate is the Chief Operating Officer with over 21 years of experience in public accounting, and serves on the firms’s Executive Committee and Leadership Team.

When Justin isn’t serving clients through tax planning and preparation, he enjoys reading to continuously improve and hone his skills both in and outside of the accounting industry. He also loves to fish and participate in the various activities that his family is involved in including baseball, softball, basketball, and football.

Specialization – Tax Services

• Extensive experience with S Corporation, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other types of business entities.
• Tax planning for closely held businesses
• Entity structure planning and succession planning

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Iowa

American Institute of CPAs
Iowa Society of CPAs

To learn more: https://www.forgeahead.com/

Christopher Proskey

I’m an engineer, businessman and attorney.  You could say I’m ferociously curious about a lot of things. As co-chair of the Intellectual Property (“IP”) practice group I use this natural curiosity, along with my education and experience, to help my clients solve complex problems, exploit business opportunities and minimize risk. As an engineer I’m able to understand your most-sophisticated technological advancements and the competitive landscape your business operates in. As a businessman I’m able to understand how your business operates and how the actions you take (or don’t take) impact your bottom line. And, as an attorney, I’m able to understand the risks, challenges and opportunities that your business faces every day. With this unique perspective, I can help you develop a comprehensive strategy to take your business from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow.

My Approach

I believe in relationships. It’s been my experience that the strongest relationships lead to the best representation. Plus, it’s more fun to work that way. While my core-competency is in intellectual property, I tend become a trusted advisor to my clients and become their go-to person for all legal and business-related matters.  I see it as my job to not only provide the deliverables you need today, but to look into the future and anticipate your needs for tomorrow.  The best way to do this is by both of us investing in a mutually beneficial and trusting relationship.  I’ve had the pleasure of standing next to my clients on their best days, and have been humbled by my client’s trust in me on their worst.  It’s in these times of extreme that we’re both thankful for the relationship we’ve built together. 

More about me

I’ve been on your side of the table.  Prior to joining Brown Winick I served as General Counsel of QMotion Incorporated, a growing international technology company.  As General Counsel I helped guide the company through growth and all the challenges that come with it.  I developed and managed a portfolio of hundreds of U.S. and foreign patents and trademarks and managed a network of domestic and international licensing agreements.  As General Counsel, I also helped lead the successful acquisition of the business by a publicly traded international conglomerate.  I know what’s it’s like to run a business.  I know what it’s like to receive legal services.  And, I know what it’s like to pay legal bills.  These are experiences that have forever shaped how I serve my clients.

I’m originally from Long Island, New York.  I’m on my second tour of duty here in Iowa.  I came to Iowa the first time to attend Iowa State University (“ISU”) where I graduated with an B.S. in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering (“IMSE”).  I worked as engineer in the semiconductor and nanotechnology industry at Seagate Technology where I designed manufacturing systems for hard drives.  While at Seagate, I attended the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management where I received an M.B.A., with studies focused on strategy, finance, entrepreneurship and management.  I returned for my second tour of duty in Iowa when I received an Opperman full-tuition scholarship to attend Drake University Law School, where I graduated with honors.  Now, my roots literally run-deep in Iowa as my wife and I are involved in my wife’s family farming operation in North-Central Iowa.

In addition to all of that, I’m a board member/advisor for a number of for-profit companies, as well as being a board member for a number of non-profit organizations. 

My Specialties

• Intellectual Property
• Patents
• Trademarks
• Copyrights
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Business and Corporate
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Technology
• Manufacturing
• AgTech
• StartUp

Wally Thomas has an impressive 28 years of experience in agriculture banking, working with community, mid-market, and corporate banks. Throughout his career, he’s managed portfolios of production agriculture and agribusinesses worth up to $65 million. Wally has also served as a team leader, mentoring others, and as a faculty member at six Agriculture Lending Schools.

Mark Stock, along with his brother Ron Stock, is a co-founder of BigIron Auctions & Realty. As serial entrepreneurs, the Stock brothers are widely recognized in agricultural and business circles for their innovative approach to ventures and investments. Their careers have been defined by a focus on diversified agriculture, business services, and rural community development.

Mark is celebrated as a visionary who stays grounded in the pragmatic values he developed as a farmer. Currently, he serves as a Working Owner and Advisory Board member at BigIron. With a passion for auctioneering, Mark and Ron founded Stock Auctions, driven by their vision to revolutionize the auction industry and deliver exceptional goods and services to their customers. Under Mark’s leadership, BigIron has become a market leader, making a significant impact on the agricultural equipment industry and numerous other sectors.