December 5, 2017
K-State's Beef Cattle Institute appoints Patti Dollarhide to lead industry alliances
K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine has announced the appointment of Patti Dollarhide as the new director of beef value chain alliances for its Beef Cattle Institute, or BCI, which was founded in 2007 to create a professional and educational connection with the beef cattle industry.
Before joining the institute, Dollarhide was employed as the director of food and nutrition services for the Newton Medical Center in Newton. Before that she worked four years as manager of customer operations and finance for U.S. Foods. She also spent five years working for Cargill Food Service-North America as a health care sales leader from 2007 to 2012.
"We are thrilled to have Patti at the BCI because she has a wealth of experience in the beef industry," said Brad White, director of the Beef Cattle Institute. "In addition to being a registered dietician, she has worked in processing, distribution and procurement. Her skill set is valuable as the BCI continues to expand relationships throughout the beef value chain. We want to continue to improve the value of beef, and Patti will help us form strategic partnerships that provide synergistic benefits to multiple segments of the beef value chain."
Dollarhide earned a bachelor's degree in hotel restaurant management and administration at K-State in 1983. In addition to her skills and background in nutrition services and customer operations, Dollarhide has worked as a veterinary technician and holds an associate degree in veterinary technology from Colby Community College, which she completed in 1979.
Dollarhide has received several industry awards, including the Silver Plate Award for Operator of the Year in Health Care from the International Food and Manufacturer Association in 2004. She served as president of the National Society of Health Care Food Service Management in 2004, and from 2007 till present, she has been a member of the alumni board for the food, nutrition, dietetics and health at K-State. Dollarhide has participated in numerous manufacturer leadership groups including Tyson, Campbell's Insight Group, Rich's Food Service, Basic American and General Mills.
The mission of the Beef Cattle Institute is to utilize collaborative multidisciplinary expertise to promote successful beef production through the discovery and delivery of actionable information and innovative decision support tools.