PDP Cornerstone Dairy Academy: Lead Others With Skill and Audacity

Apply by Jan. 15 for communication/leadership-development program

Just three weeks remain to apply for the 2026 Cornerstone Dairy Academy® presented by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP). College students, recent graduates and others looking

to strengthen their leadership and communications skills are invited to attend the professional-development training. Set for March 3-4, 2026, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis, all sessions will be simultaneously translated into Spanish.

The online application takes about 15 minutes to complete, with applications accepted through January 15, 2026. Visit  https://pdpw.org/cornerstone-dairy-academy/ to apply or contact PDP at 800-947-7379 with questions. A Spanish language version of the application is available at https://pdpw.org/cornerstone-dairy-academy-esp/.

“Cornerstone covers a variety of topics you just can’t get in one place anywhere else,” said Eliza Ruzic, North District Sales Manager at Zinpro Corporation and Cornerstone graduate. “From markets, generational communication, dining and networking etiquette to connecting with others, there’s something for everyone to learn in each pillar.”

Participants select one of three learning pillars to attend on Tuesday, March 3, then will continue their learning and build on networking skills by attending the PDP Business Conference on Wednesday, March 4.

Pillar One: Influential Leaders will be facilitated by Holly Green, behavioral scientist and experienced business leader; Hank Wagner, dairy producer, author and founder of Wagner Leadership Training; and Melissa Wilson, certified dining etiquette consultant. Key learnings:

• Understand generational differences and communication methods
• Discover your behavior type
• Master first impressions with courtesy and confidence
• Model thankfulness and gratitude

Pillar Two: Visionary Leaders will be facilitated by Dr. Richard Kyte, endowed professor at Viterbo University, and Jacob Shapiro, geopolitical analyst and director of research at The Bespoke Group. They’ll help attendees to:

• Understand integrity and how it correlates to ethical decision-making
• Exemplify credibility and uprightness
• Observe global trends to discover opportunities early
• Plan strategically
• Use economic indicator tools efficiently

Pillar Three: Servant Leaders is facilitated by Tom Thibodeau, distinguished professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University. Key learnings:

• Top ten characteristics and seven best practices of servant leadership
• Value of organizational focus and working as a team
• Power of hospitality and customer service
• Blessings of a positive, productive work culture

Upon acceptance to the program, students and dairy producers pay $200 to attend; allied industry members pay $500. Support from Dairy’s Foundation covers the balance of program fees, including meals. PDP will reimburse participants $50 per night for hotel lodging up to a maximum of two nights or $100.

Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.