Dennis Thomas has been appointed president and chief executive officer for Bongards Creameries, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Thomas, who is currently Bongards’ chief operating officer, will assume the role on the retirement of Daryl Larson, who has served as president and chief executive officer since 2018.

“We’re confident that Dennis, with his tremendous depth of experience and knowledge, will successfully lead Bongards into the future, building upon the growth and industry leadership that Daryl has achieved during his tenure,” said Brent Ziegler, chairman of Bongards Creameries.

Thomas’ extensive background in the dairy industry prior to Bongards includes general management roles with Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms, Land O’ Lakes and Kraft Foods. Over the past five years, Thomas has been instrumental in expanding and driving operational efficiencies of Bongards’ plants in Humboldt, Tennessee, and Bongards, Minnesota, increasing the company’s manufacturing capabilities and capacity.

About Bongards Creameries
Bongards Creameries is a farmer-owned co-op that was formed in 1908 in the southeastern Minnesota town of Bongards. The co-op’s dairy farmers are based in Minnesota and North Dakota. With over a century of dairy expertise, Bongards is a vertically integrated, global cheese supplier that produces hundreds of millions of pounds of natural cheese, process cheese and whey each year. Bongards’ cheeses are utilized by many of the country’s largest foodservice operators, food manufacturers and foodservice distributors. The company’s cheeses can be found in commercial restaurants, K-12 schools, retail delis and C-stores, among others. The company’s corporate offices are in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and its three production facilities are in Bongards; Perham, Minnesota; and Humboldt.