Carlie Nelson
Kara Fisher
Foremost Farms is proud to spotlight recent contributions to the manufacturing industry on behalf of the cooperative, as two of our talented employees co-lead a learning session at the Women in Manufacturing (WiM) event at the UW-Madison College of Engineering. Women across Wisconsin gathered to explore how industrial engineering and innovation are shaping the future of manufacturing.
Carlie Nelson (left) and Kara Fisher (right) joined other industry leaders, leading a training session on maintenance and reliability tools—particularly Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM). They shared how RCM is helping Foremost reduce risk, improve the preservation of assets, and drive profitability. Most recently at our Appleton plant, applying RCM principles has led to a 29% reduction in average monthly Repairs and Maintenance costs and a 6% decrease in average monthly outside services spending—resulting in six-figure savings in just one month for one plant!
Over the past 3.5 years, Carlie has embraced a path of continuous growth and leadership within our cooperative. After earning her degree in Food Science and Technology from UW–River Falls, she joined Foremost Farms as a Manufacturing Management Trainee. Her career progressed through key roles as Production Supervisor at our Marshfield cheddar block plant and Production Manager at the Clayton Provolone facility. Earlier this year, she transitioned into her current role as a Supply and Demand Planning Analyst on the Dairy Analytics team.
Throughout her journey, Carlie has consistently demonstrated a passion for learning and collaboration. Highlights of her career include gaining valuable insights from our dedicated plant teams to help solve complex challenges across the value chain. Her work has created measurable value for our cooperative and the dairy farm families we serve, which she considers the greatest reward.
Kara has become a driving force behind the reliability and efficiency of our Appleton facility. She has been with Foremost Farms for 15 years, beginning her journey during the Appleton expansion—a milestone that marked the start of her deep-rooted commitment to maintenance excellence.
In her role as Preventative Maintenance Planner Supervisor, Kara has worn many hats and made a lasting impact across multiple areas, including:
- Assisting with project management and new equipment installations
- Overseeing equipment retirement and asset transitions
- Managing MRO inventory stockrooms and control systems
- Leading PM (Preventive Maintenance) and PdM (Predictive Maintenance) initiatives
- Coordinating daily work orders and asset management
- Supporting environmental compliance and budget planning
As part of their journeys in Foremost, Carlie and Kara both completed the UW–Madison InterPro Program, earning a certificate in Maintenance and Reliability Management. This program strengthened their understanding of cross-functional teamwork and the importance of reliability in plant operations.
Please join us in congratulating Carlie and Kara for their continued leadership and for representing Foremost Farms with excellence!