Covenant News

Ahlem to Receive 'American Dream' Award

TURLOCK, CA (April 23, 2002) - William "Bill" Ahlem of Hilmar Covenant Church in Hilmar will be the keynote speaker and award recipient at the Spring 2002 California State University-Stanislaus "Champions of the American Dream" event tomorrow at the school's Union Event Center.

Ahlem is the eighth person to receive the "Champion of the American Dream" award. He is owner of Ahlem Farms in Hilmar, which has one of the largest Jersey dairy cowherds in the United States. A Hilmar native, he is a third-generation member of the Ahlem family that started farming in the Turlock area in 1902.

In 1984, Ahlem joined 11 other Jersey dairymen in the region to found Hilmar Cheese Company as a marketing effort for the quality milk produced by their herds. The company quickly grew and is now the largest cheese and whey plant in the world. Ahlem is currently the company's vice chairman.

"I am honored as well as humbled to be the recipient of this award," Ahlem said. "When I look around me, I realize I would not be where I am if it were not for the people who have championed me and supported me along the way. I've always been a strong believer that we are able to create our own destiny in many respects, but I measure my success by those who have served around me."

Ahlem has developed a reputation for his community service leadership and involvement with agriculture industry support organizations. He served as president of the CSU Stanislaus Foundation Board of Trustees in 1998-99 and has been a member since 1995. He served on the Emanuel Medical Center Board and Hilmar School District Board of Trustees. Ahlem is a board member for notable dairy organizations, including the National Dairy Board, the Secretary of Dairy Management, Inc., the California Dairy Research Foundation and Western United Dairymen. He is a past board member of the American Farm Bureau Federation and California Farm Bureau.

Outside of his professional activities, Ahlem is on the Hilmar Unified School District Board of Trustees and has served as chair in the past. He also served as chair for the Evangelical Covenant Church Board of Benevolence.

For more about Ahlem and the award event, check the news and publications link at www.csustan.edu, the web site for California State-Stanislaus.

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