By Grace Atherton
The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), proud host of the 2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest, is honoring Contest judges Cathy Strange and Greg Kinate and Contest volunteers Gary Vidlock and Larry Bell for their contributions to the event. The awards were presented on Wednesday, March 5 during the competition in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
“The Championship Cheese Contests wouldn’t be possible without the passion and commitment of our judges and volunteers. We truly appreciate their dedication to growing and improving these events each year,” said Kirsten Strohmenger, Contest Director.
The Schlinsog Award: Cathy Strange
The Schlinsog Award, named for Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Bill Schlinsog, is presented annually to a leader in the dairy industry who has helped build and support the excellence of WCMA’s Championship Cheese Contests. This year, the Schlinsog Award was presented to Contest judge Cathy Strange.
Cathy Strange joined Whole Foods Market in 1990 and has a wealth of food industry experience and expertise. As the global cheese buyer and now Ambassador of Food Culture, she seeks out products and supports the small businesses that make amazing cheese and meet Whole Foods Market’s strict Quality Standards. She has earned numerous awards around the world and in 2015 the American Cheese Society gave her a Lifetime Service Award. For 15 straight years, Cathy has served as an Expert Judge for the U.S. and World Championship Cheese Contests. Cathy has been a powerful promoter of the Championship Cheese Contests in the artisan and worldwide dairy communities, and her endorsement of these events has built entries and prestige for the Championship Cheese Contests.
The Aschebrock Award: Greg Kinate
The Aschebrock Award, named for Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Robert Aschebrock, recognizes an outstanding Contest judge and mentor. The 2025 Aschebrock Award was presented to Contest judge Greg Kinate on March 5.
Greg has decades of experience in all aspects of the cheese industry. He began his career in cheese production in the 1970s and began cheese judging in the mid-1980s. Over the last 50 years, he has worked with influential players like Kraft and Sargento and started Kineva Foods, a cheese marketing company that branched out into production and packaging. In 2016, Greg joined Winona Foods as cheese procurement manager. Today, he lends his expertise to the industry as a consultant. He has served as a judge in WCMA’s Championship Cheese Contests 11 times, beginning in 1991.
The Eggebrecht Award: Larry Bell and Gary Vidlock
The Eggebrecht Award, named for the late Contest Committee Chairman and “B-Team” founder Brian Eggebrecht, is presented each year to outstanding Contest volunteers. On March 5, Contest leaders presented the 2025 Eggebrecht Award to Gary Vidlock of Oshkosh Cheese Sales & Storage and Larry Bell of Schreiber Foods and LBell Consulting.
Larry Bell served as Research Manager, then Supplier Quality Manager for Schreiber Foods in Green Bay - a career in R&D, quality control, cheese grading, and food safety that spanned 35 years. In 2012, Larry retired from Schreiber and started a new career as LBell Consulting, helping build food safety plans for dozens of Wisconsin dairy plants and entrepreneurs. For many years, Larry has assisted with sampling and grading cheeses for the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program. In addition to his nine stints as a Contest judge, Larry has volunteered in the WOW Logistics warehouse for 20 years, receiving and sorting and stacking entries.
For 23 years, Gary Vidlock has volunteered for the Championship Cheese Contests while working at Oshkosh Cheese Sales & Storage - rising to the rank of VP Cheese Sales and Procurement before retiring in 2020. Prior to working with Oshkosh Cheese, Gary led cheese activities at American Dairy Products Institute, and sales at Dairy Farmers of America, Waterford Foods Products and Michigan Milk Producers. For the past two decades, Gary has worked alongside Larry Bell and Contest Director of Logistics Randy Swensen to receive, repackage and sort thousands of entries onto more than 100 pallets.
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