Pictured back row from left: Randy Clark, Isaac Lemmenes, Pat Johnson, Bruce Dannenberg. Front row from left: Maria Woldt, Jeremy Heim, John Osterhaus
Wisconsin Custom Operators members recently elected two directors, new officers, and honored a retiring director during their annual meeting.
Pat Johnson will serve a second term on the board, while Bruce Dannenberg is a new addition.
Johnson is the operations manager of Larson Acres in Evansville. This multi-generation farm milks 2,800 cows and farms more than 5,000 acres. He also has experience as a custom manure hauler and business owner. Public perception of agriculture, especially manure application, is very important to Johnson. He is also passionate about helping younger people enter the custom farming industry. Johnson and his wife have two children and raise and direct market beef.
Dannenberg is co-owner of Triple D Farms in Mineral Point. He manages crops for the 2,000-acre farm along with spraying and spreading applications. He oversees business finance and insurance, and custom TMR feeding for a local dairy. When needed, he drives chopper, truck, and pack tractor for harvest. Dannenberg also handles most of the combine work for soybean harvesting. Outside of farming, he and his family enjoy showing pigs and are active in the Badger State Tractor Pullers.
The WCO board of directors selected officers. John Osterhaus, owner of Silver Streak AG Services in Chadwick, Ill. will serve as president. Jeremy Heim, co-owner of Heim Brothers Custom in Kewaunee will serve as vice-president. Randy Clark, owner of RCI Engineering in Mayville is secretary and Isaac Lemmenes, product specialist for Nuhn Industries, is treasurer.
Osterhaus owns Silver Streak AG Services in Chadwick, Ill. with his wife, Monica. Together, they harvest 5,000 acres annually in Northwest Illinois and sell and service Meyer Manufacturing equipment. In addition to WCO, he is an active member US Custom Harvesters. The Osterhaus’ have three grown children, including a son, Alan, who has continued his passion for agriculture as a marketing specialist for CLAAS of America. Two of their children are WCO scholarship recipients.
Heim is co-owner of Heim Brothers Custom in Kewaunee, a 200-million gallon-per-year custom manure hauling and chopping business. In addition to the custom business, Heim is co-owner of an 850-cow dairy, Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy. Together with his wife Kari, Heim has two kids, Ben (19) and Kiley (28). Kiley has been working full time on the farm since 2013 focusing on calf care and Ben plays a big role in field work and the custom business.
Clark is the owner of RCI Engineering in Mayville, where he designs and manufactures equipment solutions for the hay and forage industry, including plot research equipment and the Ag-Bag product line. In addition to WCO, he is involved with Wisconsin Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Midwest Forage Association, and other industry groups. Clark credits his wife, Wendy, for his success in business and in life. The two work together at RCI Engineering where Wendy serves as marketing manager. They have three boys, Ryan (16), Isaac (14) and Colin (11) and enjoy snowmobiling, hunting, and whatever adventures the boys want to seek out.
Retiring board member and former president William Smith, owner of Smith Custom Farming LLC in Darlington was honored for his years of service to WCO.
