WCMA Honors World Championship Cheese Contest Leaders

Kirsten Strohmenger and John Umhoefer Comment on Awards

Mar. 16, 2026 at 9:46pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Key global cheese leaders were honored at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest on March 4 and will be recognized at CheeseExpo on April 16, 2026. Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) conferred the Aschebrock Award on expert judge Dr. Samir Kalit of the University of Zagreb, Croatia, for excellence in cheese evaluation. Contest volunteers Steve Stettler of Decatur Dairy and Dan Stearns of Agropur (retired) earned the Eggebrecht Award for dedication to execution of the Championship Cheese Contests on March 4. The Kolroser family of Vienna, Austria, will be honored with the Schlinsog Award for their outstanding contributions to decades of World Championship Cheese Contests.

Why it matters

The World Championship Cheese Contest is the largest technical dairy products evaluation in the world, with over 3,375 entries from manufacturers worldwide. Recognizing the key leaders and volunteers who make this prestigious competition possible highlights the importance of the dairy industry and the global reach of the event.

The details

The Aschebrock Award, named for Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Robert Aschebrock, was presented to longtime Contest judge Dr. Samir Kalit, a professor at the University of Zagreb who specializes in cheesemaking and has served on the judging panel since 2012. The Eggebrecht Award, named for the late Contest Committee Chairman Brian Eggebrecht, was presented to Steve Stettler of Decatur Dairy and Dan Stearns of Agropur (retired), both Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers who have volunteered at the Contest for over 25 years. The Schlinsog Award, named for the late Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Bill Schlinsog, will be presented to the Kolroser family of Vienna, Austria, who have coordinated the entry of over 1,000 Austrian cheeses into the competition over the past five decades.

  • The 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest was held on March 4, 2026.
  • The awards will be presented at CheeseExpo on April 16, 2026.

The players

Dr. Samir Kalit

A professor in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, specializing in cheesemaking, cheese ripening, and improving traditional cheese production and milk quality. He has served as a judge for the World Championship Cheese Contest since 2012.

Steve Stettler

A Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certified in six varieties, he has volunteered at the World Championship Cheese Contest for 26 consecutive years and was honored with the WCMA Life Member Award in 2016.

Dan Stearns

Also a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, he celebrates his 25th year volunteering at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2026. He received WCMA's Vanguard Award in 2022, recognizing national leaders in cheese manufacturing innovation.

Helmut Kolroser

The late marketing representative for Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GmbH in Vienna, who established a lasting partnership with the World Championship Cheese Contest in 1970.

Harald Kolroser

The son of Helmut Kolroser, he currently serves as the managing director of Kolroser Event Marketing and continues to coordinate the entry of over 1,000 Austrian cheeses into the World Championship Cheese Contest.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Our enthusiastic and devoted judges, volunteers and global partners are an essential part of our Championship Cheese Contests. Their commitment to growing these events and shepherding them to continued success year after year is truly remarkable.”

— Kirsten Strohmenger, Contest Director (WCMA)

“Dr. Kalit not only brings extensive technical expertise to the Contest judging team – he is also a leader passionate about advancing the science of cheese. We're grateful for his dedication to this competition, and we're honored to present him with the Aschebrock Award.”

— John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director (WCMA)

“WCMA deeply appreciates the generous time and energy the Stettler family has devoted to our Championship Cheese Contests, and for the friendships and camaraderie their kindness has fostered at our events.”

— John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director (WCMA)

“For decades, Dan was the driving force behind the award-winning cheeses produced by Agropur, while generously dedicating his time and expertise to support the logistics of our ever-growing Contest. We thank him for two and a half decades of tireless volunteer service.”

— John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director (WCMA)

“At the World Championship Cheese Contest, the Kolroser name is synonymous with exceptional Austrian cheeses. We offer our sincerest thanks for this partnership that has spanned generations and elevated the quality and visibility of Austrian cheese.”

— John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director (WCMA)

What’s next

The announcement of the 2026 World Champion Cheese will be livestreamed at WorldChampionCheese.org and on Facebook at 2:00 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, March 5.

The takeaway

The World Championship Cheese Contest is a prestigious global event that relies on the dedication and expertise of its judges, volunteers, and international partners. The awards presented by WCMA recognize the individuals and families who have made invaluable contributions to the growth and success of this competition over the decades.