Chris Szydel joined Pagel’s Ponderosa in Kewaunee, Wis., as a nighttime milking technician in 1995. A decade later, he was promoted to herd manager and now manages both the Pagel Ponderosa and Hilltop Farm dairies, overseeing three different parlors and 65 employees. Chris has been a driver in implementing cost-effective technology that has helped improve the overall efficiency of the dairies. Currently, Pagel’s Ponderosa has more than 5,000 milking cows and 8,500 acres of cropland.