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Alumnus and faculty member Bill Brooks is bringing his deep dairy industry expertise to lead Northwest's new creamery, creating exciting new opportunities for students.
Alumnus and faculty member Bill Brooks is pouring his dairy knowledge into bringing the University's new creamery to life, creating amazing new opportunities for students.
Bill joined Northwest's faculty in 2020 after more than two decades in the economic and research side of the dairy industry. Now, he'll be managing the creamery operations. Dr. Rod Barr, director of the School of Agricultural Sciences, says Bill's "broad background" makes him "the right person to oversee the creamery operations."
Bill always thought about coming back to Northwest to teach. He grew up on a dairy farm and found his passion for the business side of the industry. After a successful career and even earning his MBA in agricultural economics from Northwest, the chance to teach came up, and he seized it.
He's particularly excited about the creamery because it offers students incredible hands-on experience, showing them the "farm-to-table" process. He's been busy getting certified in dairy foods manufacturing and more, always looking for "more tools in my toolbox to help students."
Once finished, the creamery will offer a wide range of opportunities, from research and food production to safety testing, marketing, and even selling products like milk, ice cream, and butter! It's a fantastic chance for cross-departmental collaboration, too.
Bill emphasizes that Northwest's creamery will be unique by focusing on smaller-scale, community-oriented operations. "We have what can be a massive amount of opportunities from an education standpoint for students to get involved," he says. It's truly cementing the School of Agricultures position as an innovator in educating students for the real world.
To make a gift to support Northwest and its programs, contact the Northwest Foundation at 660.562.1248 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/GiveOnline.
