Wensleydale Dairy Products MD David Hartley has died following a cancer diagnosis last year, the company has announced.
Hartley, 58, had led Wensleydale for 28 years after being instrumental in a management buyout of the creamery from Dairy Crest in 1992.
He played a key role in launching Wensleydale’s The Yorkshire Creamery brand of cheeses last year, and oversaw a £3m revamp of the business’s facilities in the autumn of 2019, before he was forced to step back from day-to-day operations last winter due to ill health.
Described as a “devoted family man”, he was married with two daughters.
In a statement, Wensleydale Dairy Products said Hartley would be “terribly missed” by his friends and colleagues at the business.
“Each and every day he injected passion, quality and enthusiasm into both his business and personal life,” the statement read.
“Under his direction the business became an integral part of the local community, with coveted recognition for its award-winning range of cheeses. Alongside the management team, David cemented Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese as a household favourite, both in the UK and internationally.”
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