Download Opinions and Philosophies of a Middle Aged Dairyman

Opinions and Philosophies
of a Self Made Dairyman
Pete Gelber
Barrington Dairies
Montezuma, Georgia
Agenda
 Life History, influences
 Buying Bankrupt
Dairies
 Economic and life
philosophies
 Opinions on labor
 Visions for the Future
A Different Childhood
A Positive Experience
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Great parents
Catholic School Education
Fear of drugs
Hustle and getting with the beat
A chance to be mischievous
Comfortable with all races of people
Dealing with intimidation
Bronx Decision Making
Messages from Mom and Pop
•Don’t argue with a crazy
person or a drunk
•Life wasn’t meant to be fair
•It’s a sin to be grouchy
•When judging people look
through their mother’s eyes
•Life should be a celebration
How I learned to Milk a Cow From the
New York Subway
•My first dairy experience age 10
•Degree from Cornell University 1982
•Built a small herd of cows in NY
•1990 Began working up the ladder at
Alliance Dairies in Florida
•Promoted one disaster at a time to
Dairy Manager
•1997 issued phantom stock in new
purchased bankrupt dairy
•2007 General Manager and 10%
partner in GA dairies
•2013 Owner of Barrington Dairies but
rents land from partners
A 25 Year Friendship
Evolving Relationship
• Boss, mentor
• Shared core values and
business principles
• Best Friends
• Potential to Proven
• Ask permission to beg
forgiveness
• Send the Profit and Loss
Why Was I Invited to Queretaro?
• Started with a dream
• Owner of a 9,000 cow dairy
• Perceived strengths
1.
2.
3.
4.
Vision and Culture Changer
Economic Decision making
Enthusiastic Motivator of Labor
Fun and not very serious
Buying a Distressed Company
Look Before Leaping
• Insurmountable
problems
• Environmental hazards,
• Land
,FacilityLimitations
• Feed availability
• Economic advantage
• Priced fairly
• Does it cash flow?
Why Montezuma?
Barrington History
•
•
•
•
•
•
Irish Investors @1986
National Attention
1990 financial problems
Southern Plantations
Progressive Dairies
New Milk Inc.
• 1997purchased first
smaller dairy
• Great initial success
through 2001
• 2002 Purchased other
unit (Barrington)
• 2002-2006 struggles
• Move to GA or sell out
• 2007 –present high
profits
Common Flaws on Failing Dairies
Problem
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reproduction
Lameness
Leftover feed
Silo management
Dry cow nutrition
Dead calves
Crop quality and yield
No maintenance program
Cow comfort
EPA issues
Economic Ramification
• Feed costs, production
• High cull rate
• Heifer growers, high costs
• Poor crops/ high feed cost
• EPA fines and sanctions
• Lots of cap ex
Turning a dairy into a winner
No one plans to fail
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Infusion of energy and enthusiasm
Set the vision
Change the culture
Correct cash flow
Set priorities
Field a team
Stick up for what is right
Rome was not built in a day
Where to Start?