Cowgirl Creamery co-founders Sue Conley (left) and Peggy Smith are retiring. “Creating and building Cowgirl Creamery, has been the greatest adventure in our lives," the two wrote in a letter to friends and industry colleagues. "The development of Cowgirl Creamery built many careers in cheesemaking, mongering, food safety, sales and distribution. We leave a seasoned team of leaders, each with their own team of passionate people working together to strengthen this artisan cheese movement.”
Conley and Smith were pioneers in the artisan cheesemaking space in the U.S., applying their belief that organic practices were a key to proper stewardship of the land, championing from the beginning that good cheese starts with good milk, which in turn, can only come from rich, healthy soils and animals. The two were inducted into the Specialty Food Association's Hall of Fame in 2018 for their dedication to the craft.
Over the last two decades, Cowgirl Creamery has created award-winning cheeses reflective of the Northern California terroir and ethos. Through its work with Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the company has advocated for a vibrant community of dairy farmers, cheese producers, and chefs, all of whom comprise “the Northern California milkshed.”
Amanda Parker, managing director, will now oversee company operations. Parker, who joined Cowgirl Creamery in 2018 as deputy managing director before taking over as managing director in 2019, has worked in tandem with Conley and Smith and brings a keen understanding of and passion for artisan cheese.
Joining Parker are several other new team members, including Maureen Cunnie, supply chain director; Rachel Cohen, head of HR and deputy managing director; Gabriella Szendi, controller; Vanessa Change, marketing director; and Rachel Perez, sales director.
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Image: Cowgirl Creamery