User:Rrb217/sandbox

Robert Ralph Bignami, Jr

Date of Birth: 2-17-43, Oakland, California

Married to Pamela Bignami since 1969, four daughters Wendy Jane, 1973, Cheryl Ann 1977, Laura Jeane, 1979, Alane Marie 1979

In 1982 Robert Bignami put into use the milk pricing formula commonly know as the VanSlyke cheese yield formula. Bignami built a cheese plant processing over 1,000,000 lbs per day of milk into cheese and used this formula for payment to the dairies supplying the plant. The formula became so popular, based on that experience, that it soon spread world wide and had added over $500,000,000 to farmers income.

The Registered Jersey herd owned by Bignami, Brentwood Farms is one of the best known genetic herds in the world supplying breed leading genetics to the USA. Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and others. Brentwood has been in business since 1957.

EDUCATION

Chico State University, Chico, CA. Bachelor of Science; Dairy Science/Business Administration. 1966

University of California, Davis, CA. biochemistry/ genetics. 1967

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 2011 - 2012 President, American Jersey Cattle Assn. Second largest dairy organization in the world.

2007 – Master breeder Award, American Jersey Cattle Assn.

2004 –2010 Director, Land O’ Lakes Inc. Land O Lakes, a Fortune 100 Company.

2004 – Bush /Cheney 2004 National Chairman -Dairy Industry

2004 – California Jersey Cattle Assn. Master Breeder award.

2001 – 2005: Chairman, California Republican Party, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.

2001 – 2004: United States Dairy Export Council, (USDEC) NDB Director

2001 – 2004: National Dairy Board, Director.

1998 – 2012: Foreign Agriculture Service, Emerging Markets Committee,

1997 – 2004: Land O’ Lakes, Inc. Policy Board. Chairman, developed regulatory and legislative policies for the 500,000 members of Land O’ Lakes, Inc.

1998 – 2004: Leadership Council, Land O’ Lakes, Chairman 2000/2001

1995 – 2004: California Delegate to Land O’ Lakes, Inc,

1988 - 1989: CDFA committee on milk pricing, developed 4a-4b pricing in CA.

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE 1971 – Present: Brentwood Farms, Orland, CA. Owner, Registered Jersey dairy milking 1500 milking age animals. Brentwood genetics marketed worldwide. 1985 – 2003: Northview Dairies, Orland CA General Partner. Registered Jersey dairy milking 1000 cows. 1979 – 1986: Jerseyland Cheese, CEO, General Partner, diversified farming, dairy and cheese manufacturing company. Company produced over 15,000,000 lbs. cheese yearly. Initiated cheese yield pricing, which spread worldwide and has generated over a billion dollars extra income for dairymen. 1982 – 1995: Western Dairy Services, CEO, Owner. Created the WDS brand, a food service company specializing in commodity cheese sales. $40,000,000 + annual sales. 1979 – 1996: Brentwood Software Systems, CEO, Owner. Developed software for the cheese and dairy industry. 1974-1980: Ameropa Investments AG, Managing Director. Managed $15,000,000 agricultural investments in California and internationally. 1970 – 1972: Wolfe Dairies Knoxville TN, Production Manager 1969 – 1970: Borden Dairy Inc. San Francisco, CA, Asst. Plant Manager 1967 – 1969: Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, Sarival Farms, Glendale AZ.