April 9, 2009 (Reston, Va.) – Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative elected new leadership for 2009, selecting Dwayne Myers of Elkin, N.C., as President, R. Steven Graybeal of Peach Bottom, Pa., as First Vice President and Richard Mosemann from Warfordsburg, Pa., as Second Vice President.  The change took place during the Board of Directors reorganization meeting following the cooperative’s Annual Meeting last week at Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center in Ellicott City, Md.

“I am awed at the support, confidence and responsibility you have given me,” said Myers to the Board of Directors.  “I’ve served as a Maryland & Virginia director for ten years, and I want to use those experiences and relationships I’ve developed to make dairy farming more viable for us all.  My desire is to influence, improve and uphold our industry to the most ethical, dependable and profitable standards.” 

An Elkin, N.C., resident, Myers farms 800 acres and milks 800 cows with his family in Jonesville, N.C., located in Wilkes County.  For the last five years he has served as First Vice President and prior to that he was Second Vice President from 1999 to 2004.  He is a current director and past president of Carolina Farm Credit as well as a past president of the Wilkes Soil & Water Conservation District.  In addition, Myers is President of Dairy Cooperative Marketing Association, Chairman of the Southern Marketing Association, and a N.C. Farm Bureau Director.  He has been married to his wife, Barbara, for more than 35 years and they have three grown children and two grandchildren.

Myers takes the reins from Steve Graybeal who had served as President for the last five years.  Graybeal commented in his annual meeting address to the membership, “Leadership is fostered from within.  It’s encouraging when others show interest and desire in taking on new leadership responsibilities.  With these considerations in mind, I have decided to step down as president, opening the door for others to serve in that position.  I will continue to serve on the board in whatever leadership capacity the board wishes, ensuring a smooth transition.”

Graybeal has been elected to serve as First Vice President, and the Second Vice President role remains Richard Mosemann, of Warfordsburg, Pa., ensuring a smooth leadership transition within the cooperative.

“Maryland & Virginia just reported a very profitable year for the membership,” said CEO Jay Bryant.  “Our success is due, in part, to the tremendous support and direction of the Board of Directors.  Having worked with Dwayne, Steve and Richard in an executive capacity for several years already, we as a management team are confident in their abilities to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and continued support from the entire board,” he added.

Dwayne Myers (left) the newly elected President of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers stands united with the cooperative’s CEO Jay Bryant (right).

Owned and operated by 1,500 dairy farm families from Pennsylvania to Georgia, Maryland & Virginia is a milk marketing and processing cooperative providing consumers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. with fresh milk and dairy products.  Maryland & Virginia owns and operates three fluid processing plants; Marva Maid of Newport News, Va., Marva Maid of Landover, Md., and Maola Milk and Ice Cream Company in New Bern, N.C.; a manufacturing plant in Laurel, Md.; and an equipment warehouse business in Frederick, Md.  The cooperative is also majority owner of a second manufacturing plant, Valley Milk LLC located in Strasburg, Va.