HILMAR, CALIF. — Cheese and whey manufacturer Hilmar announced Oct. 3 that chief executive officer David Ahlem plans to step down in early 2025.

The company shared that Ahlem, who spent close to 10 years as CEO, will continue to contribute to Hilmar as an advisor to the board of directors. Hilmar said the board began its search process for its next CEO two months ago, and it will consider internal and external candidates.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredible group of owners, employees and dairy farmers for the past 21 years,” Ahlem said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together.”

Hilmar’s chairman of the board, Jim Ahlem, said the functional cheese and whey manufacturer is well positioned for the future, and it plans to have its next CEO in place by “early next year” to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

“We are grateful for David’s leadership, under which Hilmar has grown to become a leading producer of natural American cheese and whey ingredients worldwide,” Jim Ahlem said.

The board chairman said Hilmar’s vision remains the same – “to be the best in the world at efficiently producing functional cheese and whey ingredients at scale.”

David Ahlem, who has spent 21 years with the company overall, said Hilmar’s success dating back to when it was founded in 1984 is tied to an “exceptional” company culture.

“Hilmar is bigger than any one person,” the outgoing CEO said. “We have accomplished a great deal over the last decade. We are a global leader in the marketplace, actively demonstrating the power and promise of dairy to improve lives together. I look forward to watching Hilmar’s forward momentum continue.”