Gary Hanman

Dairy Farmers of America - Inducted in 2004

Gary Hanman is a true believer in cooperation and a tireless advocate of the right of farmers to jointly market their milk under the Capper-Volstead Act.  His dynamic presence is recognized worldwide as a symbol of what farmers can accomplish when they work together.

For most of his 40-year career, Gary Hanman has served in the top management position.  His career started in 1956 with the federal milk market administrator.  In 1964 he joined Square D Milk Producers, one the cooperatives that formed Mid-America Dairymen in 1968.  In 1975 Gary was named executive vice president and CEO of Mid-Am.  Gary is largely responsible for bringing together four diverse cooperatives into a single entity in 1998 to form Dairy Farmers of America and served as its first CEO.  By 2005, at the time of his retirement, DFA marketed one-third of the nation's milk supply, with 24,000 dairy-farmer members.  Although DFA is one of the largest marketing cooperatives in U.S. history, Gary never forgot that the purpose is to make things better "down on the farm."

dynamic leadership on state, national and international levels, and unwavering commitment to dairy farmers