Other Industry Leaders
CEO
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin | Madison
Chad Vincent leads Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing arm for the state’s dairy farmers. The organization works to promote an industry that contributes roughly $45 billion to the state’s economy annually. Previously, Vincent was chief marketing officer for Plymouth-based Sartori Co. and held executive positions with H.J. Heinz, Miller Brewing Co. and Fiskars Brands.
Education: Bachelor’s, Michigan State University; MBA, Michigan State University
Book recommendation: “‘5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni. Culture is the leading force behind success.”
Business leaders you’d like to have dinner with: “I’d head out with Dick Strup, the former head of marketing at Miller Brewing Co. He was my boss for 7 years, and I can attribute so much to him and his leadership. He is an incredible leader, a ‘walk through walls for him’ kind of guy. The other is Patrick Lencioni. … Our beliefs are so aligned on how to engage your team for optimum performance and amazing work cultures.”
Fun fact: “I spend way too much time and effort growing tomatoes in our garden. And most of them are eaten by the rabbits.”
Toughest business challenge You’ve ever faced: “Running Fiskars in Madison, figuring out how to compete with high quality USA-made products versus China imports at a fraction of the price.”
