CEO
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin | Madison
Chad Vincent is chief executive officer of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing arm for the state’s $50 billion dairy agriculture business. Previously, Vincent was chief marketing officer and senior vice president of strategic development at Plymouth-based Sartori Cheese. Prior to that, Vincent was a managing director at H.J. Heinz in Pittsburgh, president of the Asia-Pacific region at Miller Brewing Co. and division president and global chief marketing officer at Fiskars Brands. Vincent was recently named board chair for the Wisconsin Agriculture Export Committee. He also serves on the U.S. Dairy Export Council’s Operating Committee and was named to the USDA Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
Education: Bachelor’s and MBA, Michigan State University
The future of your industry: “Wisconsin’s dairy industry continues to be a powerhouse in the U.S. and globally. Wisconsin cheese export sales continue to gain momentum, and sales continue to accelerate.”
Cocktail of choice: “Chocolate milk cannot be beat.”
Favorite part of the workday: “3:30 to 6 a.m. I am an early riser and have time to read, get prepared for the day and work relatively interruption-free.”
Playlist for commute/run: “I am an Audible junkie. I love to listen to anything from Pat Lencioni, and Pia Nilsson’s mental golf work in ‘Be A Player.’”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
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.”
