Jon Frohling, owner of Frohling Meats Inc., Hecla, SD, was recently elected President of the American Association of Meat Processors at the 72nd American Convention of Meat Processors and Suppliers’ Exhibition in Reno, Nevada. Frohling worked his way through the AAMP Board chairs, serving as the Association’s 1st Vice President and Treasurer before he took charge of his presidential duties on June 18, 2011.

Prior to opening Frohling Meats Inc., Frohling was a Grocery Store Manager from 1990 to 1997. Jon and his wife, Stephanie, have now operated Frohling Meats for more than 12 years. The meat trade is in Jon’s genes as his father was a butcher, so it was only natural that he should continue in the family tradition. They manage two stores -- one in Hecla and the other in Aberdeen, as well as a catering business.

Jon and Stephanie have grown their business into a nationally-recognized design firm of quality meat products. It is this attention to artistic detail that led to their collaboration with Native American Natural Foods to develop a new product named the Tanka Bar, a 70-calorie energy bar made with South Dakota bison and Wisconsin cranberries.

The bar is a modern-day spinoff of “wasna,” a food that sustained Lakota tribe members during long trips centuries ago.

Jon is an avid outdoorsman and processes a variety of different game species for his customers. Jon also specializes in the production of specialty smoked meat products, including sausages, hams and jerky. His creations have won over 230 awards since they started their business, including nearly 60 national awards in the past seven years. At this year’s American Cured Meat Championship, Jon earned the new AAMP Cured Meat Excellence Award for his overall top placing throughout the competition. In 2009, Jon was presented with the AAMP Accomplishment Award that honored his company’s outstanding growth, successful development of new products, and entrepreneurship.

Jon initially began his membership with AAMP in 2003, and has continued to be very active with AAMP since that point. This year Jon was presented the AAMP Golden Cleaver Award for outstanding membership recruitment on behalf of the Association throughout the past year as he secured eight new members. He looks forward to leading AAMP throughout the coming year.

Frohling succeeds Dan Glier, Glier's Meats Inc., Covington, KY, who will remain on the Board of Directors as the Immediate Past President. Michael Sloan, Hermann Wurst Haus, Hermann, MO, took over the office of Treasurer and Tim Haen, Haen Meat Packing Inc., Kaukauna, WI, was elected as the 1st Vice President. Kevin Western, Western's Smokehouse & Meat Market, Inc., Greentop, MO, was elected as the 2nd Vice President, and Gary Bardine, Bardine’s Country Smokehouse Inc., Crabtree, PA, was elected as the 3rd Vice President.

The newly-elected Directors are Jon Christensen, Erdman's County Market, Kasson, MN; Doug Hankes, Thrushwood Farms Quality Meats, Galesburg, IL; Erica Hering, Ralph's Packing Company, Perkins, OK; Terry Kerns, Edgewood Locker, Inc., Edgewood, IA; Kurt Carter, Mid-Western Research & Supply, Witchita, KS (Supplier Director); and David Downs, Mar/Co Sales Inc., Burnsville, MN (Supplier Director).

Continuing on the Board are Wayne Beckman, Kensington Lockers Inc., Kensington, KS; Bob Filbrandt, Bob's Processing, Inc., South Haven, MI; Brian Engle, Pioneer Meats, Big Timber, MT; David Satterwhite, Brother’s Custom Processing, Inc., Craig, CO; and Bob Andorfer, Excalibur Seasoning Co. Ltd., Pekin, IL (Supplier Director).

Source: AAMP