USA – The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) has appointed Aaron Anticic as its new Chief Financial Officer, as the cooperative embarks on a major new venture in ethanol production.
Anticic will oversee all financial activities at MMPA, ensuring the organization’s long-term financial health and supporting its strategic goals.
Aaron Anticic joins MMPA with over 13 years of experience at Mastronardi Produce, one of the largest produce companies globally.
He began as a financial analyst and advanced to Vice President of Finance, where he most recently led the finance team at Mastronardi BerryWorld Americas, a joint venture.
During his tenure, Anticic played a central role in developing strategic initiatives and managerial decision-making, building and leading various accounting and finance teams.
“We are excited to welcome Aaron to our executive team. His proven track record in financial leadership and experience with the agriculture industry will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen and grow our cooperative,” Joe Diglio, President and CEO of MMPA, said expressing his enthusiasm for the new appointment.
“We are confident that Aaron’s expertise and vision will greatly contribute to the future success of MMPA.”
In addition to his role as CFO, Anticic has been appointed as an officer of the MMPA Board of Directors. He holds a Master of Business Administration with distinction from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario, Canada, and resides in the Metro Detroit area with his family.
“I am honored to join MMPA and work with such a dedicated team. I look forward to leveraging my experience to support MMPA’s dairy-farmer owners by ensuring the cooperative’s financial health and contributing to its strategic initiatives,” Anticic said showing his enthusiasm for the new role.
Anticic’s appointment comes as MMPA is set to collaborate with Ontario-based Dairy Distillery to establish an ethanol production facility in Constantine, Michigan.
This cutting-edge plant, representing a $41 million investment, is scheduled to commence operations in 2025. It will transform 14,000 tons of milk permeate—a byproduct of dairy production—into 2.2 million gallons of low-carbon ethanol annually.
Omid McDonald, CEO of Dairy Distillery, highlighted the dual benefits of the project, stating that by converting milk permeate into low-carbon ethanol, a cutting-edge solution that reduces the carbon footprint of dairy farming is delivered while simultaneously increasing the value proposition for farmers.
Joe Diglio emphasized the initiative’s significance, noting that it represents a substantial step forward in MMPA’s commitment to sustainability.
The project aims to provide both environmental benefits and additional revenue streams for dairy producers, making a traditionally underutilized byproduct valuable.
The collaboration was inspired by Dairy Distillery’s innovative technology, initially developed in Ontario, to transform lactose-rich milk permeate into Vodkow, a vodka product.
The success of this technology attracted MMPA, leading to the partnership to create an ethanol plant that promises to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits.
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