Q&A with WFBF CAO
KIM POKORNY
Tell us about your family. My husband, Doyle, and I have three children and live northeast of Waupun, in Fond du Lac County. We own a farm next to the Rock River, in the Horicon Marsh zone. A neighbor rents the cropland and our children raise animals for their FFA and 4-H projects. My husband is a project manager for M.P.B. Builders, Inc., in Ripon. He manages the sales team. In December, our oldest son, Dylon, will graduate from UW-Green Bay with a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management. After graduation, he will work for Paper Transport, Inc., in De Pere. Our daughter, Katrina, is a sophomore at Marian University with a double major in business administration and health administration. She plans to work in public health. Our youngest son, Cameron, is a junior at the Waupun Area Junior/Senior High School. His goal is to be an engineer. When each of our children were in sixth grade, my husband and I set each child up with a small business. Dylon is a beekeeper. Katrina makes value-added beeswax products out of
the wax and traveled to Haiti to teach her skills. Cameron raises laying hens, broilers and garden produce. He has an agreement with the local food pantry, and most of his produce and products go to the pantry. He also has some regular customers through private sales. Community service and making our community a better place is a core component of our family and our children’s small businesses.
What is your connection to agriculture? I have deep agriculture roots being raised on a registered Brown Swiss and crop farm in Monroe. I was your typical farm kid spending time in the barn and the field, and actively involved in 4-H, FFA and showing and judging cattle. I attended UW-Platteville where I earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural-related areas. I also received an MBA from UW-Oshkosh. I’ve held positions including: UW-Extension dairy and livestock agent in Sheboygan County; local markets specialist with MorganMyers on the Wisconsin Milk Marketing account, now Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin; program manager with Professional Dairy Producers; and executive director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association before taking on my role at WFBF.
What is your favorite food or meal? Meal: A good deep-dish pizza with a lot of cheese, and a piece of creamy milk (from left): Cameron, Shelby (Dylon's girlfriend), Dylon, Katrina and Doyle in Eagle River. chocolate.
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Rural Route
WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
