VISALIA, Calif. — February 9, 2017 — Rob Vandenheuvel has joined the senior management team at California Dairies, Inc. (CDI) as vice president of industry and member relations. Vandenheuvel will serve as the face of CDI to the industry, governmental and regulatory bodies, and will work directly with member-owners of the cooperative. Based at CDI’s corporate headquarters in Visalia, California, he is reporting to Andrei Mikhalevsky, president and CEO.

Vandenheuvel comes to CDI after serving as general manager for the Milk Producers Council (MPC) since 2007. Prior to his tenure at the trade association, he was a press secretary for the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee in Washington D.C. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in business from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

“As CDI continues to be an influential member of the dairy industry, Rob’s in-depth understanding of dairy policy, and of the industry as a whole, on the state and national levels will make him an essential fixture on our team, especially as the industry continues to evolve at such a rapid pace. Plus, his relatability to dairy producers strengthens CDI’s ability to more efficiently respond to the market’s needs. His extensive knowledge, experience, and existing relationships in the dairy industry complement CDI’s vision to become the leading source of dairy nutrition for a healthy world,” said Mikhalevsky.