Distinguished Alumni

Eric Lindley Steer (Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology 2005) is vice president of operations for Chairmans Foods, a global food manufacturer based out of Nashville, Tennessee, which serves major retailers including Costco, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Publix.

Steer began his career with Dean Foods Company in Rockford, Illinois, as a management trainee, then production supervisor. At Dean Foods, he served as production manager for Barber Milk Company in Birmingham, Alabama; plant manager III at Reiter Dairy in Springfield, Ohio, and plant manager IV at Country Delite Dairy in Nashville before transitioning to Chairman Foods, where he oversees three manufacturing facilities with 400 employees and 250,000 square feet of production space.

MSU was where Steer determined his career, met his wife, and made lasting friendships. He worked at the MSU Custer Dairy Processing Plant and as a research associate in the Food Microbiology Laboratory. He was a student representative on the 2004 Collegiate Dairy Products Judging team that won the National Championship. He received the 2018 Department of Defense Patriot Award for his support of military veterans in the workforce.

Steer and his wife, Ashley, reside in Nashville with their children, Emily (14), Lauren (11), and Lincoln (9).