In Wisconsin, we take our cheese very seriously. Wisconsin is home to the only Master Cheesemaker certification program outside of Europe. The certification program is administered by the Center for Dairy Research.
Gregg Palubicki
Master Cheesemaker – Cheddar & Colby
 Gregg Palubicki became interested in cheesemaking by watching his father, who also worked at Alto Dairy. Gregg would come to the cheese factory before and after school to help the different cheesemakers.
For the past 28 years, Gregg has been mastering the art of cheesemaking for Alto Dairy. Achieving Master certification in Cheddar and Colby was a natural choice for Gregg—he's been making those varieties since the late 1970's. He looks at the Master program as a continuous cycle and hopes to enroll again.
It's clear that Gregg loves to make cheese—he loves how the industry is constantly changing, and that there is room for cheesemakers to experiment and develop markets for new products and specialty cheeses.
"Cheesemaking is a way of life, a lost art. I try to learn something new every day," he says. "There's lots of opportunity."
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Kurt Heitmann
Master Cheesemaker – Cheddar, Mozzarella, Colby & Monterey Jack
 As one of six children raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm in Markesan, Kurt Heitmann learned the meaning of hard work at a tender age.
Kurt joined Alto Dairy in 1972 and today is a supervisor responsible for quality control and employee training.
Kurt has always been fascinated with the “make” process, a term used by cheesemakers to describe the different procedures employed to create cheese. “What the cows eat – depending on the season – changes the flavor, fat and protein properties of the milk. Cheese recipes must be adapted to allow for these changes, so that we deliver a uniform product to our customers. Every day poses a new challenge.”
Heitmann adds that pursuing certification was a personal goal, and he’s proud to have completed the program twice and earned Master Certification for four cheese varieties. “Once you get into this, it becomes almost like a fraternity. There’s a lot of camaraderie and support among the cheesemakers, and there’s always more to learn.” Heitmann says he’s considering going for the triple crown, entering the Master Cheesemaker program a third time for an additional certification.
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Ken DeMaa
Master Cheesemaker – Cheddar & Mozzarella
 Ken DeMaa began his cheesemaking career at Alto in 1975, working part-time nights and weekends during his junior year in high school. After graduating, he took a full-time position and became more involved in—and fascinated with—the cheesemaking process. “The more time I spent in the make room, the more interested I got,” Ken explains. “Alto sent me to school to get my cheesemaking license in 1983, and after that I really began getting good hands-on experience.”
Over the years, Ken took on positions of increasing responsibility. He currently serves as production supervisor, overseeing production of varieties encompassing Cheddar, Provolone, Mozzarella, Colby, Monterey Jack, Muenster and Brick, along with flavored variations and other specialties.
A highlight of his career has been watching and participating in the company’s growth. “Twenty-Five years ago, we built a new facility and remodeled the adjoining old one into a second cheese plant. It’s been exciting to see the kind of growth we’ve had.”
Ken explains that the best part about making cheese is in knowing that the product going to the customer is the best quality available. “It’s a company-wide philosophy” he proudly states.
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