Tillamook County Creamery Association’s president and CEO Patrick Criteser announced that he will step down later this year. In alignment with a long-standing succession plan and with Criteser’s endorsement, the association’s board of directors has named David Booth as his successor.
Booth, currently Tillamook’s executive vice president of brand growth and commercialization, joined the farmer-owned cooperative in 2015. He has built top-performing sales, marketing, and category growth teams, forged crucial partnerships with retailers nationwide, and crafted Tillamook’s impressive growth strategy. He has wide experience across the company, including having served as interim CFO on two occasions. He has nearly 30 years of executive experience, including 18 years at Conagra Foods.
Criteser has led the farmer-owned cooperative since 2012. During that time, the Oregon-based creamery has become one of the largest and fastest-growing dairy companies in the country.
“When I was offered my dream job 12 years ago, I had a vision of building an organization with a challenger mindset and a determination to grow without compromising our legacy for doing good,” Criteser said on a LinkedIn post announcing his departure. “That vision has been realized, and I have accomplished what I hoped to achieve for the farmer-owners of this amazing cooperative, so I’ve decided that the time is right for this transition. Serving in this role has been the greatest honor of my professional career, and I am absolutely certain that our board has chosen the right person to succeed me in David.”
Tillamook has been transformed from a regional heritage brand into a $1.3 billion business that has dairy products in one in four American households, notes Shannon Lourenzo, chair of the association’s board. “But we’re just getting started,” he says. “David is a very talented leader and is someone who is well-equipped to continue the cooperative’s growth, which will further strengthen our farmer-owners, create more jobs and advancement opportunities for our employees, and enable us to continue to positively impact the communities where we live and work."
Though Booth will immediately assume the role of president, Criteser will remain CEO until later this year, working through a transition plan to ensure business continuity and success. Upon Criteser’s departure, Booth will also assume the role of CEO.
“This is an incredible opportunity to work with our farmer-owners who have built this company with a long-term outlook and a commitment to growing the right way,” Booth says. “We have extremely talented and committed employees in every function and location. Our strong culture and organizational momentum are here to stay, and they will enable us to reach even greater heights in the future.”
