John Cox
John Cox is Chairman of the Board of Turkey Hill Dairy, having retired as President and CEO in 2019 after almost 35 years with Turkey Hill and its parent company, Kroger Co. When he joined Turkey Hill in 1985, it was to start a marketing department. Over the years, he went on to fill various other roles and became Secretary/Treasurer. He spent four years as President of Jackson Milk and Ice Cream, another division of Kroger, before returning to Turkey Hill.
John is a graduate of Millersville University, with a B.S. in Business Administration, and Penn State University, with a Master of Management. He was a board member of the International Ice Cream Association since 1995 and served the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the Governor’s Food Safety Council from 2008 – 2011. His service to his local community includes Lancaster County Economic Development Company (past Chair), Lancaster Farmland Trust (past Chair), and Lancaster Workforce Investment Board. Taken together, he has over 70 years of nonprofit board service.
His engagement with Lancaster Clean Water Partners began as a member of the small founding group with a vision to help Lancaster County achieve clean and clear water at an accelerated pace. He served as Chair of the Steering Committee when the Partners formally organized until October 2019. Since retiring last year, John has spent more time with the Partners, dedicating the first part of 2020 to updating the Common Agenda with priorities and strategies that are critical components of implementing the business plan.
In late summer 2020, he more formally took the role of Senior Advisor, working to implement priorities in the Common Agenda. His initial focus will be on developing strategies for acquiring sustainable funding specifically related to the agriculture goals in Lancaster’s Countywide Action Plan (CAP). The effort will use the watershed planning and water quality monitoring work led by the Partners, focusing on a stream de-listing strategy to create larger, contiguous landowner projects. He will also continue to work with regulatory agencies on policy updates that are essential to the collective effort that will clean up our streams.
John is also working with The Steinman Foundation on discrete projects to effectuate water quality improvements in Lancaster County. The projects are complimentary to the work of the Partners.
John and his wife Catherine reside in Landisville, PA. His hobbies include backpacking, bird watching, running and photography.
