Zell Recognized by Holstein Assn.
Published: Friday, March 27, 2026
The Indiana Holstein Assn. recently honored an Elkhart County veterinarian with the 2025 Honorary Lifetime Member award.
Dr. Robert Zell of Nappanee received the award during IHA's annual meeting on Feb. 14 in Marion, Ind. Zell has been a member for approximately 40 years. Most notably, he has worked with many clients in the Holstein breed and has promoted the dairy industry through his service on the Elkhart County 4-H Fair board and through the 4-H dairy program.
Rich Nisen, a dairy farmer from Leesburg, presented the award on behalf of the Holstein association. He recited a long list of reasons why Zell is deserving of the Honorary Lifetime Member award. On that list are consistency, resilience, integrity and positive influence, and a commitment to lifting others.
"He silently has helped all of us, whether it be helping deliver a premi (premature) calf at our sale last year or assisting late at night when few, if any, are around to notice," Nisen said in his remarks. "I cannot begin to count the number of times he has willingly helped and educated not only our members on farm but our youth on anything and everything dairy, especially when it comes to bringing repro (reproduction) tracts to 4-H meetings for some hands-on training."
Zell, who works for Goshen-based DVMS, has been a veterinarian for 54 years.
"Every day is a challenge of some sort," he said. "It's been a really rewarding career and interesting. I particularly enjoy the people and working with their cattle."
In other awards, Max Beer of Adams County received the 2025 Master Breeder award. A former IHA president, Beer served as a director of the Red & White Dairy Cattle Assn. from 1985-94. He is the breeder of eight Dam of Merit award winners, four Gold Medal Dams and three 94-point cows. In addition, numerous show winners have carried his "Masal" prefix, including the junior champion bred and owned female at the 2024 International Junior Holstein Show.
Hannah Fuel of Decatur County was crowned Indiana Holstein princess, one of the top junior awards. Also honored were Oliver Nisen of Leesburg, recipient of the Derek Blough Heart & Soul Award, and Carly Linnemeier of Columbia City, who received the Junior Holstein Scholarship.
Individuals receiving the 2025 Progressive Breeder's Registry were: Brand Dairy Farm, ninth year; Darrell Richard, 28th year; Lyle Weaver, 20th year; Steven R. Landis, 18th year; and Wyatt Schwoeppe, eighth year.
Also recognized were recipients of the 2025 Progressive Genetics Herd award. They included: Brand Dairy Farm, 15th year; Daniel J. Hague, seventh year; Richard, 35th year; Weaver, 16th year; Nor-Bert Farms LLC, 26th year; Obert Farms Inc., second year; and Rauscher Farms Inc., 27th year.
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