10 Prairie Farms operations leaders
Chris Hackman, Chief Operating Officer at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., heads this list of ten Prairie Farms operations leaders, joined by vice presidents of operations and plant operations and directors of operations. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Prairie Farms from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Chelsie L. Niermann
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations & Strategy · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Chelsie L. Niermann has been Director of Operations & Strategy at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since September 2026, working in Edwardsville, Illinois. Chelsie L. Niermann was Director of Technology Delivery at Kobie from 2025 to 2026 and held Vice President, Director of Business Transformation and Vice President, Director of Strategy and Operations at U.S. Bank from 2021 to 2024.
Chris Hackman
LinkedInExperience: Chief Operating Officer · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Chris Hackman has been Chief Operating Officer at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since April 2023, based in Jefferson City, Missouri, and has also held Senior Vice President Operations there since January 2022. Chris Hackman was Vice President Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from 2020 to 2022 and General Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy dba Central Dairy from 2007 to 2020.
David Phaup
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
David Phaup has held Senior Vice President Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since September 2003, based in Newburgh, Indiana, and was also General manager there from 2003 to 2024. The profile headline reads Vice President of Operations at Prairie Farms, and both roles listed on the profile are at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Grant Boehne
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations and Sales Administrations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Grant Boehne has been Director of Operations and Sales Administrations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since April 2025, working in Edwardsville, Illinois. Grant Boehne held National Accounts Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from 2012 to 2025 and National Accounts Sales Associate there from 2012 to 2015, and the profile places the current role in the Operations department at Director level.
Joe Powell
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Joe Powell has been Director of Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since January 2024, based in the Springfield, Illinois area. Joe Powell also held General Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from 2019 to 2026 and Operations Manager there from 2002 to 2026, and all three roles listed on the profile are at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Louie Jolley
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Operations Prairie Farms Frozen Division · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Louie Jolley has been Vice President of Operations Prairie Farms Frozen Division at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since October 2022, based in West Lafayette, Indiana. Louie Jolley was Director of Manufacturing at Ice Cream Specialties from 2013 to 2022, General Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from 2011 to 2013 and Production Manager at Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream from 1990 to 2011.
Matt Blase
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Matt Blase has been Director of Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since March 2025, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and has held Plant Manager roles there since June 2021. Matt Blase was Plant Superintendent at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from 2020 to 2021 and Plant Superintendent at Dean Foods from 2019 to 2020.
Nick Kuhns
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Nick Kuhns was Director of Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. from October 2014 to December 2019 and has been Vice President Of Engineering there since December 2019, working in Edwardsville, Illinois. Nick Kuhns also held Plant Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. in 2014 and Plant Manager at Nonni's from 2012 to 2014.
Raymond Downes
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Plant Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Raymond Downes has been Vice President of Plant Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since October 2025, based in Luana, Iowa, and held Director of Plant Operations and General Manager roles at Prairie Farms Dairy from 2017 to 2025. Raymond Downes was also Director of Operations at Dole Packaged Foods LLC from 2010 to 2013.
Scott Deakin
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc.
Scott Deakin has been Vice President Operations at Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. since March 1992, based in Peoria, Illinois, and the profile headline reads Prairie Farms Dairy Vice President of Operations. It is the one role listed on the profile, and the about section repeats the Prairie Farms Dairy Vice President of Operations title.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's area, such as frozen or dairy plant operations, plant operations across a region or operations strategy, to the decision you face. Check the dates on the relevant role to judge how recent their view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your current operations role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which plant issues need your attention and which your plant managers should own?
- 03What has your own work taught you about running dairy plant operations?
Reaching Prairie Farms operations leaders
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Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., based on profile data retrieved on October 23, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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