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What happens when you stop asking consumers to notice products and start helping them notice the people behind them?

In this Executive Aisle episode of Fresh Take with IDDBA, Kat Shanahan talks with Suzanne Fanning, Chief Marketing Officer at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and incoming IDDBA Chairperson of the Board, about authentic storytelling, practical innovation, and the opportunities ahead for the dairy, deli, and bakery community.

Suzanne shares lessons from the award-winning Born to Dairy campaign, discusses how organizations can approach AI with a focus on real business results, and offers advice for emerging leaders looking to create change while keeping people at the center of their work. She discusses what the campaign's response and national recognition can teach fresh departments about connecting shoppers with the people behind their food and why trust may be one of the most valuable ingredients a brand can build.

The conversation also explores AI and the importance of moving beyond the hype to find practical applications that deliver real business results. Suzanne looks ahead to new Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin initiatives and reflects on the role collaboration, experiences, and developing the next generation of leaders will play in the industry's future.

To close the conversation, Suzanne offers advice for emerging leaders: stay curious, challenge assumptions, experiment, and never lose sight of the people who make your success possible.

Are you an industry professional with insights, innovations, or best practices to share? We are always looking for guests to join the conversation. Reach out to us to be considered for a future episode.

Check out Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin's Born to Dairy campaign: https://www.wisconsindairy.org/borntodairy/ 

Enjoy this fun local news coverage of the campaign:

Speaker Bios

Kat Shanahan

VP of Marketing & Membership

Kat-Shanahan

Suzanne Fanning

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Cheese

CMO/SVP

suzanne-fanning

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