Mike Giles and Wanda Taylor are the 2022 inductees into the Dairy Products Institute of Texas Hall of Fame.
Mike Giles
Mike was born in Dallas Texas and is a 6th generation Texan.
He moved to College Station Texas in 1975 at age 17 to attend Texas A&M University where he studied Biomedical Science trying to get into vet school, unsuccessfully, I might add, so he says he went into Food Science for his graduate work. While in college, he worked around 30 hours a week at a local grocery store, where he met his future wife, Judy, this June they will be married 40 years, and they have 7 children and 12 grandchildren.
He worked for a short while in the restaurant industry, then started his dairy career in 1985 at a little plant in Tyler, Texas, now a Hiland plant but at the time was Cabells, a part of the Southland corp., then later sold to Brookshire Grocery company. In his time there he held positions of shift supervisor, QA manager, plant manager, plant director and the VP of manufacturing over 6 plants, the dairy, and ice cream plant with yogurt and sour cream, a sweet goods bakery, a water /tea plant, and ice plant and a fresh cut fruit operation. Some highlights of that time included the first plant in Texas to produce Red Diamond tea, first fluid plant to produce organic milk in Texas, and was part of a team that in 2001 introduced the first low carb ice cream, low carb yogurt, and a low carb milk beverage, all of which was sold to HP Hood in 2004.
He spent a short time in ice cream at HEB and is now General Manager and President of Plains Dairy, and General Manager of Panhandle Pure water in Amarillo, Texas.
He has been a long-time 4-H leader and shooting instructor in rifle and shotgun, his interests are music and history, raising meat goats and keeping bees with his wife, and rehabbing real estate. He and wife Judy attend Grace church in Amarillo, Texas.
Wanda Taylor
Wanda was born in Loraine, Texas October 18, 19--. Shortly thereafter moving to and growing up in Midland. Her Father was a preacher over 30 years and her Mother was a nurse. Wanda graduated from Midland High School and attended Howard Payne College in Brownwood, Texas.
Most of her adult working years were with law firms in Midland and Odessa. In 2005 she followed her son Randy to the Texas Hill Country in Marble Falls and signed up with Pat’s Employment service who in turn sent her on an assignment with DPI in Horseshoe Bay. Glenn Brown was the President of DPI and was an attorney himself and lobbyist for DPI. When Glenn looked at Wanda’s resume, he discovered that she had worked with his brother at a law firm in Midland. One week later Glen hired Wanda.
Wanda has been with DPI for 16 years and has had four Presidents since Glenn passed away, Mark Compere for 9 years, Mike Giles for about a year, Glen Harrington for over a year, and now Dawn Murphy. It is impossible to say here what all this lady has done for and experienced with DPI of Texas. She has been the main constant helping members, member companies, and I think 16 different Chairman and Boards.
Wanda has told me many times that her family is the most important thing in her life. She has one son Randy and wife Betty, 3 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and 3 great, great grandchildren. (Recognize Son Randy and wife Betty, and Grandaughter Jennifer Wetmore.)
She is an officer in her church, she takes care of her 96 year old Aunt Millie and her x husband George, who as a policeman was injured in a motorcycle accident many years ago and is in a wheelchair.
Wanda lives in Kingsland, Texas next to Lake LBJ.
On a personal note, I figured out real quick how to operate in my job as President. Listen To Wanda. I did that for 9 years. We were a good team and became good friends which Jackie & I appreciate & cherish. I learned a lot about the importance of love of family from Wanda. It was like, stick together & love each other and you can get it done and have fun doing it.
And as you all know she loves and cares about DPI, has treated it like family. , her baby and has made many friends in this organization. She has helped keep this great organization flying for many years.
Wanda, on behalf of the DPI Board and membership, thank you for your friendship and many years of wonderful work and caring.
And on behalf of DPI of Texas, it is my honor and pleasure to induct Wanda Taylor into the Dairy Products Institute of Texas Hall of Fame.
Introduced by Mark Compere.