The Pennsylvania Holstein Association has restructured their staff responsibilities and has filled their new positions effective October 1, 2020. David Lentz will begin his new duties as Executive Director and the Association is pleased to welcome Amanda Mitcheltree as the Youth and Events Coordinator and Jennifer Hill as the Show Coordinator.
The Pennsylvania Holstein Association will continue to offer its members the opportunity to participate in membership programs, shows, youth programs and sales including private treaty, consignment and international sales. We are pleased to introduce our new staff members to our membership and the Holstein and dairy community.
The Pennsylvania Holstein Association Board of Directors approved the hiring of David J. Lentz, New Bloomfield, Pa., as the Association’s new Executive Director, effective October 1, 2020.
“The Pennsylvania Holstein Association Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hiring of David, as he brings decades of experience and dedication to the association,” said Board President, James Houser of Penn-Dell Farm, Spring Mills, Pa. “The future of PHA is in good hands and we look forward to working with him to continue to expand on all the opportunities the association provides our membership.”
Lentz will assume the position after the retirement of Ken Raney, a 36-year PHA employee who served the last 24 years as Executive Director.
“I’m humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to work with Ken for 20 years and now succeed him as Executive Director,” said Lentz. “My priorities include building on the first-rate Junior Holstein programs that Ken was instrumental in developing during his tenure, and to continue growing the sales program to benefit all of our members.”
No stranger to PHA, Lentz is a product of the state’s Junior Holstein programs, and steps into the new role after serving the association for 20 years as Director of Sales which has generated funds to support the programs that the Association offers to its members.
Lentz’s network of cattle sales contacts across the state and nation have helped the Association’s sales programs through private treaty, consignment and dispersal sales. He has worked with committees to execute state sales, the Penn State Nittany Lion Fall Classic and the Delaware Valley University Green & Gold sale, among other local association committees to conduct consistent consignment sales.
In August 2019, Lentz began managing export activities at the association-owned farm in Middletown, Pa. Purchased in 1973, the PHA farm has provided a staging area for the association to prepare Holstein cattle for export to over 60 foreign countries, and serves as a major key to the viability for PHA.
In addition to managing all sales-related responsibilities, Lentz will oversee all other association activities including the administration and staff management.
“I look forward to continuing to work with PHA veterans and outstanding office staff Tracy Wellar and Leslie Peters, in addition to the new youth and events coordinator and show coordinator,” said Lentz. “Our new team is excited and energized to move our association into the future!”
Amanda Mitcheltree, Bedford, is excited to begin her role with Pennsylvania Holstein as the Youth and Events Coordinator. Originally from Lawrence County, Amanda graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Dairy Science and has had a passion for dairy cattle for as long as she can remember. While at Virginia Tech, she was actively involved in the Dairy Club and was also a member of both the dairy judging and Dairy Challenge teams.
Dairying is strong in her pedigree as both sides of her family have been dairy farmers. Currently, she resides in Bedford, where she works in dairy nutrition. She enjoys working with dairy farmers and breeders every day, as they each present their own challenges and success stories. Amanda is looking forward to giving back to the organization that influenced her greatly during her Pennsylvania Junior Holstein days.
Jennifer Hill will be the Show Program Coordinator for PA Holstein. She along with her husband Chris own and operate MD-Hillbrook Sales and Service, a sales and auctioneering business based in Thurmont, MD. The sales business ties closely with Jennifer’s passion for exhibition and competition. They maintain a very competitive show string of Black and Red Holsteins as well as the occasional Brown Swiss and have been part of 50+ All American nominees in the last 10 years.
Aside from the sales business, Jennifer is an integral part of her family’s dairy farm, Glad-Ray Farm in Emmitsburg, MD. She is responsible for the heifer raising and breeding programs as well as assisting with milking. This century farm was recently nominated for the 2020 Beef Quality Assurance Award.
Jennifer has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Minor in Marketing. She has worked in the print media field in various capacities since graduation.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the All-American Dairy Show. She served six years on the World Dairy Expo Exhibitors Committee and is a past Board of Director for the Red & White Dairy Cattle Association.
Jennifer looks forward to serving Pennsylvania Holstein Association as the new show coordinator. Her passion and talent for showing, along with her experiences in and out of the ring make her a logical fit.
Provided by the Pennsylvania Holstein Association