Your GENEX Cooperative Council
As a GENEX member, the council is your elected voice in co-op leadership. The council directors are dairy and beef cattle producers – just like you – who are loyal to the cooperative and dedicated to the long-term best interest of this organization and its membership.
Each council director is elected to represent a membership tier (tiers are based on the amount of business a member does with the cooperative). The role of each director is to influence membership decisions, contribute to open and collaborative dialogue with GENEX executives, and serve on committees related to cooperative operations and growth for the future.
2026-2027 GENEX Council
These farmers and ranchers have been elected to ensure your cooperative remains relevant to its progressive dairy and beef members and customers around the globe and that GENEX continues to evolve to best serve future generations. The council directors represent a membership tier. Read on to learn more about each council member, their dairy or beef operation, their agriculture leadership involvement and their dedication to your cooperative.
Your GENEX Cooperative Council
As a GENEX member, the council is your elected voice in co-op leadership. The council directors are dairy and beef cattle producers – just like you – who are loyal to the cooperative and dedicated to the long-term best interest of this organization and its membership.
Each council director is elected to represent a membership tier (tiers are based on the amount of business a member does with the cooperative). The role of each director is to influence membership decisions, contribute to open and collaborative dialogue with GENEX executives, and serve on committees related to cooperative operations and growth for the future.
2026-2027 GENEX Council
These farmers and ranchers have been elected to ensure your cooperative remains relevant to its progressive dairy and beef members and customers around the globe and that GENEX continues to evolve to best serve future generations. The council directors represent a membership tier. Read on to learn more about each council member, their dairy or beef operation, their agriculture leadership involvement and their dedication to your cooperative.
Tier 1 Directors
Bobby Robertson, Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Email: [email protected]
Bobby is a fifth‑generation cattle producer who ranches with his wife and two children. They have 60 registered Angus, Hereford and Stabilizer females and 500 commercial females. The registered herd is bred A.I. and all semen is from GENEX. He also owns a cattle breeding service company and is a partner owner in Glass Construction. Bobby is a member of the American Angus Association, former president of the Northeast Oklahoma Angus Association and the 2025 recipient of the NAAB Member Director Award. He has served on the GENEX council since 2008, and is currently the 1st Vice President.
Timothy Stroud, Philadelphia, Missouri
Email: [email protected]
Timothy and his wife Rebecca raise Registered Angus and Registered Jersey cattle on their family farm in northeast Missouri. They rely on GENEX sires and supplies to A.I. 100% of their herd and for their custom breeding business needs. Timothy was born and raised in the heart of western New York’s dairy industry and is a graduate of College of the Ozarks with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture. He was elected as a GENEX delegate in 2019 and was elected to the Council in 2022.
Jody Schaap, Woodstock, Minnesota
Email: [email protected]
Jody, her husband and their three children farm in Minnesota. They run a 500-cow dairy, raise 70 cow/calf pairs, custom feed pigs and crop 2,400 acres. Jody brings 20 years of banking & finance experience to the council. Jody has been a proud supporter of the GENEX Herd Genetic Line and Herd Care Line, with her favorite product being the Foundation™ 150 colostrum replacer. She is also active as a local fire fighter and first responder and has served on the Minnesota Dairy Initiative Board and the county American Dairy Association board. Jody has been a member of the GENEX council since 2016 and is currently the Secretary.
Tier 2 Directors
Chris Heiser, Lamar, Arkansas
Email: [email protected]
Chris, his wife Brooklyn and their daughter reside in Arkansas, where they own and operate ST Farms while also managing Brooklyn’s family farm. Together, they oversee 500 head of cow/calf pairs – the majority of which are A.I. bred along with a small ,registered Angus herd and 220,000 broiler chickens. Chris became involved with GENEX as a Trailblazer (young leader program) in 2022 and later served in a one-year Ex-Officio GENEX director role, bringing the perspective and voice of the next generation of farmers to the cooperative. He also serves on the Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. Chris was elected to the council in 2026.
Joe Zug, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania
Email: [email protected]
Joe farms with his parents, brother, wife Kristina and their two daughters. He manages the family’s 1,200-cow dairy, while his brother oversees the crop side of the business. Joe holds a dairy science degree from SUNY Morrisville and is a graduate of the Cornell Dairy Executive Program. He serves as president of the Juniata County Holstein Club, is a regional council representative for Land O’Lakes, has served on the Pennsylvania Beef Council board, and has been a GENEX delegate for six years. A believer in the GENEX breeding philosophy, Joe utilizes beef and dairy genetics in a value-driven breeding strategy focused on profitability and performance. Joe was elected ot the council in 2026.
Israel Handy, St. Johnsville, New York
Email: [email protected]
Israel and his family operate a 100-cow dairy in central New York and raise all their young stock. The Handy family does some beef on dairy breeding and raises their bull calves to finished steers as well. All cattle are bred 100% to GENEX sires and have been for many years. The family also has an on-farm store where they sell meat and eggs. In addition, they grow all their own feed and market extra hay, corn and soybeans. Israel served as a GENEX delegate for 10 years before being elected to the council in 2017. He currently serves as the council 2nd Vice President.
Tier 3 Directors
John Ruedinger, Van Dyne, Wisconsin
Email: [email protected]
John and his wife, Karen, and their daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Dave Zappa, are the owners of Ruedinger Farms. This dairy is home to 2,200 cows and includes 1,550 acres of cropland, growing corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. In addition to use of GENEX dairy genetics and FeedWise™ semen, the Ruedingers engage their local GENEX consultant for genetic selection, reproduction management and mating strategies. John is involved in many ag organizations – like the Midwest Forage Council, National Forage Association, Farm Bureau and others. He served on the board of directors for GENEX predecessors and today is the council President.
Casey Dugan, Casa Grande, Arizona
Email: [email protected]
Casey and his wife, Andrea, own and operate Desperado Dairy in southern Arizona, where they milk 1,800 Holsteins and 100 Jerseys and manage 100 Angus cross cattle. In addition, Casey is a partner in Dugan Feeds, an operation feeding 7,000 head of livestock, and Dugan Brothers, a harvesting company covering more than 2,000 acres. An agriculture advocate, Casey is involved across the industry and is a graduate of Arizona’s rural leadership program, PROJECT Central Class XXVI. He has served as president of DHIA and currently serves on boards for the Hohokam Water District, Arizona Milk Producers and United Dairymen of Arizona. Casey has been a GENEX delegate since 2014 and served as a director from 2019-2023.
Tony Bakeberg, Waverly, Minnesota
Email: [email protected]
Tony hails from a 230-cow dairy farm located west of Minneapolis. He operates the dairy along with his parents, brother and sister. They also raise all their own replacement heifers and feed out all bull calves to market steers. In addition, the Bakebergs farm about 1,000 acres, which enables them to grow all their own forages and grains for the herd plus have acreage to cash crop and sell commodities. Tony was elected to the GENEX council in 2021.