MADISON, WI – 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. On April 16, the Kolroser family of Vienna, Austria, will be honored with the Schlinsog Award for their outstanding contributions to decades of World Championship Cheese Contests.
“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,” said Contest Director Kirsten Strohmenger. “We are deeply grateful for their steadfast dedication.”
The Aschebrock Award: Dr. Samir Kalit
The Aschebrock Award, named for Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Robert Aschebrock, annually recognizes an outstanding Contest judge and mentor. The 2026 Aschebrock Award was presented to longtime Contest judge Dr. Samir Kalit on March 4.
Dr. Samir Kalit is a professor in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Zagreb, specializing in cheesemaking, cheese ripening, and improving traditional cheese production and milk quality. This year marks his seventh time judging the World Championship Cheese Contest, having first served on the panel in 2012. An internationally respected expert in sheep, goat, and mixed milk cheeses, Dr. Kalit earned his Ph.D. studying cheese ripening and brings decades of research and technical expertise to the judging team. His knowledge and precision make him an invaluable member of the Contest panel.
“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,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director.
The Eggebrecht Award: Steve Stettler and Dan Stearns
The Eggebrecht Award, named for the late Contest Committee Chairman and “B-Team” founder Brian Eggebrecht, is presented each year to outstanding Contest volunteers. On March 4, Contest leaders presented the 2026 Eggebrecht Award to Steve Stettler of Decatur Dairy and Dan Stearns of Agropur (retired).
Steve Stettler, a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certified in six varieties, has volunteered at the World Championship Cheese Contest for 26 consecutive years and was honored with the WCMA Life Member Award in 2016, the organization’s highest distinction. As owner of Decatur Dairy in Brodhead, Wisconsin, Stettler developed numerous cheeses, including his signature Stettler Swiss, a sweet, creamy, lacy interpretation of the classic Alpine style.
A frequent judge at Switzerland’s national cheese competitions, Stettler plays a critical role in overseeing the care and logistics of the World Championship Cheese Contest’s Alpine cheese classes. The Stettler family’s contributions span generations, beginning with Glennette “George” Stettler’s decades of leadership in score tabulation and continuing today through the volunteer leadership of Steve and Glennette’s daughters, Shaya Guilbault and Sierra Stettler.
“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,” said John Umhoefer.
Dan Stearns, also a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, celebrates his 25th year volunteering at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2026.
Stearns received WCMA’s Vanguard Award in 2022, recognizing national leaders in cheese manufacturing innovation. His commitment to the dairy industry spans 45 years, including a distinguished career as an aged cheddar expert at Agropur’s Weyauwega, Wisconsin plant before retiring in 2022. He earned his Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certification in cheddar in 2000, and his cheeses have garnered dozens of honors at both the U.S. and World Championship Cheese Contests. Today, he brings that same award-winning expertise and steady leadership to his work on the B-Team.
“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,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director. “We thank him for two and a half decades of tireless volunteer service.”
The Schlinsog Award: Kolroser Family
The Schlinsog Award, named for the late Contest Chief Judge Emeritus Bill Schlinsog, is presented annually to a leader in the dairy industry who has helped build and support the excellence of WCMA’s Championship Cheese Contests. This year, the Schlinsog Award will be proudly presented to the Kolroser family of Vienna, Austria.
For more than five decades, Helmut Kolroser and his son Harald served as the vital link between Austrian cheesemakers and the World Championship Cheese Contest, coordinating the entry of more than 1,000 cheeses into the competition.
In 1970, Helmut Kolroser, marketing representative for Agrarmarkt Austria Marketing GmbH in Vienna, established a lasting partnership with what was then a relatively new global competition hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. Together, Helmut and Harald managed Austrian entries and international shipping logistics, recommended key Contest enhancements, and helped introduce specialty classes reflecting traditional European Alpine styles.
Following Helmut’s passing in 2017, Harald has proudly carried that legacy forward. Today, as managing director of Kolroser Event Marketing, he continues to serve as the vital link between Austrian cheesemakers and the Contest—ensuring their exceptional craftsmanship is represented and celebrated on the world stage. Harald also notes the importance of support from AMA Marketing to engage Austrian competitors.
“At the World Championship Cheese Contest, the Kolroser name is synonymous with exceptional Austrian cheeses,” said John Umhoefer. “We offer our sincerest thanks for this partnership that has spanned generations and elevated the quality and visibility of Austrian cheese.”
Hosted biennially by WCMA since 1957, the World Championship Cheese Contest is the largest technical dairy products evaluation in the world. This year, 3,375 entries of cheese, butter, yogurt, and dry dairy ingredients from manufacturers worldwide are being evaluated by a team of 56 internationally renowned judges. 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. For more information on the Contest and complete results for all classes, visit WorldChampionCheese.org.
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