For eight years, Daragh Maccabee has been the CEO of Idaho Milk Products, leading the company, which develops applications for milk proteins and milk permeate powder.

Maccabee, who has a wealth of global experience in management of food and beverage companies, oversees operations at the Jerome-based company.

Prior to his current position, he held several positions within Chicago-based Glanbia Nutritionals’ Twin Falls location. His last role with that company was that of senior vice president of procurement and dairy economics.

Maccabee earned his ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) through the Dublin Business School and Griffith College Dublin, both in Dublin, Ireland.

Earlier this year, he was named the chair of the International Dairy Foods Association, an organization that represents the U.S. dairy industry.

The CEO has stated that leading the team at Idaho Milk products is an honor as the company lives up to its purpose of “bringing value to milk for generations.”

Alex McCoy is the founder and CEO of American Ostrich Farms and Sustainable Meats and is working hard to champion people to take control of their health. He first learned about ostrich meat in on a trip to South Africa 2012 and its many health benefits, and upon returning to Idaho decided he wanted to do something about introducing it as a main animal protein. Under his leadership today, the company has become a leader in ostrich production.

“You don’t have to be a CEO to be a leader, and you’ll need to be a fantastic leader long before becoming a CEO,” he shared in an earlier 2025 interview with the Idaho Business Review. “To lead others is a great honor that should only be trusted to those who demonstrate grit and never, ever, give up.”

Outside of work, McCoy is an avid outdoor enthusiast who loves to hike, bicycle and ski.

Idaho Candy Company has more than 125 years of history serving the Gem State with sweet treats. Founded in 1901 by T.O. Smith, the company has changed ownership several times and as of August 2025, Paul and Megan Sturdivant have taken the reins. The couple moved to the Treasure Valley in 2023 and knew that purchasing the company was the right next step for them.

Paul most recently served as the vice president of operations at Fresca Mexican Foods in Caldwell, and before that, he worked for Keurig Dr. Pepper and Mars. He is also a U. S. Navy veteran and left the service in 2014.

Megan’s most recent experience was working as the senior director of marketing for the online jewelry brand Blue Nile. She plans to use her marketing expertise to grow and expand the Idaho Candy Company.

“We’re committed to being good stewards of the memories that people associate with these candies,” Paul said in a recent press release.

ZoRoCo Packaging, Inc., was founded in 2007 by Cordy Rost, his wife Kim Rost, and his father-in-law Marc Ikebasu. Five years after its start, the company broke ground on its own building, in which the Rosts and their employees packed frozen vegetables. 

Since then, Rost has overseen the expansion of the company to three buildings in Caldwell, growing the staff from 17 people to 425. Along with the frozen vegetable division, ZoRoCo also has a gluten-free and allergen-free packaging division and an allergen-free and gluten-free baking division. The business also provides a range of services in the frozen goods packaging industry. 

Rost, a native Idahoan, earned his undergraduate degree in engineering and EMBA at the University of Southern California, where he and Kim met. The two returned to Idaho to raise their family and set up business. 

ZoRoCo, which is named for the Rosts’ children, Zoey, Ronin and Cole, is also involved in giving back to the community by being involved in organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Caldwell Night Rodeo and more. 

As the president and CEO of Thomas Cuisine for the last five years, Alison Patt shares that her journey to the C-suite was a personal one.

When her son was diagnosed with non-verbal autism at 18 months old, she struggled to find the right therapies for him. Once they removed processed food ingredients and learned that food made a huge difference, everything changed. At the same time, Patt shifted careers from luxury hospitality to food management, and she realized that she loved the field.

When she accepted her current position, she recognized that the company also believed in the healing power of food. She knew it was the right fit.

Today, Patt and her team serve a variety of Idaho organizations with real, scratch-made food. The team is thriving and client retention for 2024 was 100%. While the company has expanded across the country, they are also focused on reaching more Idahoans.

“This is our home, and we are excited to partner with more organizations powering the Treasure Valley to bring our REAL food mission to life locally,” she said.

David Wagers is a Boise native who has a deep love for Idaho. He’s recently retired as the president of Idaho Candy Company, is the managing partner at Wagers Properties, and president of the Boise School District board of trustees.

When Wagers joined Idaho Candy Company as a plant manager, he never foresaw running the whole company one day. But after working there for 34 years and navigating it through various ups and downs, his work helped ensure its profitability. The company was recently sold to the Sturdivant family who will make space for the existing brands to not just survive but thrive as they enter a new era.

“Idaho Candy Company has provided ‘sweet stories’ for generations of Idahoans to share,” he shared.

Wager’s dedication as a businessperson is notable and truly a success, but he says that if he didn’t end up in those roles, he would want to be a teacher.

“No better profession to make an impact on our future,” he said.

Gibson Berryhill saw his father model great business practices as he grew Berryhill Bacon and BACON Boise! He never really imagined that he would work at the company as an adult and had plans to work in coaching and ministry before he recognized a call on his life for people and the world of business. So, he headed back to Boise to work alongside his dad and today, he’s the co-owner of Berryhill & Company.

While Berryhill shares that becoming a father to his daughter 15 months ago is one of the biggest accomplishments and honors he’s had in his life to date, so is his work at the company so far. Last year alone, their products grew more than 70% and in 2025, they’re currently at more than 100% growth.

“We believe that every smile, every dish, every handwritten note and every bag of bacon has the potential to change someone’s day and in extreme cases, change their life,” he said.

Katie Fernandez came into the candy business almost accidentally. She and her father caught wind of the previous owner retiring from Lee’s Candies and they decided to jump in. She had to learn a lot about the industry, but now more than four years later, she loves continuing to learn and keeping the company thriving.

“It’s not just a candy store to our customers,” she explained. “We have customers who have been coming in for every holiday for generations. People like coming into Lee’s Candies. It feels good to them … feels like home. I think that’s pretty special.”

Fernandez said that one of the biggest accomplishments she’s celebrating recently is the opening of the company’s second location last year.

She said, “There are a lot of newcomers to the Valley. I am working on casting a wider net and bringing more people into our little candy store. I am amazed at how many Idahoans I talk to don’t even know we exist. I am trying to change that.”

Dale Clemiss was hired as the CEO of Idahoan Foods in March of 2022 but he’s been in the food processing industry for much longer than that. He’s worked for more than 30 years, having been involved with brands such as Campbell’s, Swanson, Marie Callender’s and more.

Before talking the helm at Idahoan Foods, Clemiss was the president of Frozen and Refrigerated at Conagra Brands, having come to that company after working as vice president of Soup, Sauce & Meals at Campbell Soup Company. He was with that company for several years in various roles.

“In his extensive career in the food industry, Dale has been successful at growing existing brands, accelerating innovation and launching new product lines,” said Rich Porter, Idahoan board chair.

Clemiss hails from Canada and has been in the U.S. for about 20 years. He earned a degree from University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

“I’m excited about the growth opportunities ahead as we continue to innovate and expand our role in meals and beyond,” he said upon his appointment to the position of CEO with Idahoan Foods.

After starting at Lamb Weston in 2007, Michael Smith quickly proved to be a dedicated and motivated leader.

He was promoted consistently and landed in senior leadership roles including chief operating officer, senior vice president and general manager of foodservice, retail, marketing and innovation. He also held the role of senior vice president for growth and strategy and was recognized for his record sales and laser-focused innovation.

Earlier this year, Smith took the reins as the CEO of the company. Couple with undergraduate and graduate degrees in marketing and business, along with more than 17 years of expertise in various roles at Lamb Weston, Smith is poised to continue leading it to new heights across all areas.

Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of Chobani, is known for his entrepreneurial spirit. Originally from Turkey, he started a feta cheese factory in 2002 then purchased a large, obsolete factory a few years later. Identifying a need in the market, Ulukaya launched Chobani, and it has since become a leading Greek yogurt product in the United States, known in households everywhere.

He is recognized for his keen eye for business, dedication to helping communities and people groups around the world, and a deep commitment to employee development, including offering them robust benefits and competitive wages. Ulukaya is also a well-known philanthropist. He started the Chobani Foundation to manage his giving, which has donated to various organizations and causes since 2010. In 2015, he launched the Tent Foundation to help refugees.

Under Ulukaya’s leadership, Chobani continues to grow and expand. Its manufacturing plant in Twin Falls provides jobs to local Idahoans and looking onward, the company and Ulukaya aim to continue to bring good food to people everywhere, while making a positive social impact.