protein sources
protein sources
protein sources
protein sources

Our Team

protein sources

About Us

Our management team has extensive experience in the hog industry as well as financial, general business and accounting management. 
 
Paul FitzSimmons, Partner. Paul utilizes his more than 25 years of swine production experience to oversee the Protein Sources management team.  Upon his graduation from the University of Minnesota - Waseca, Paul gained valuable knowledge in genetic technologies and strategies at P.I.C. that he now utilizes with Protein Sources and its clients.  Paul has been a member of numerous local, state, and national pork boards and is also an active member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Good Thunder.  He also enjoys spending time with his family and supporting the Maple River basketball and softball teams.  Paul can be contacted at 507.340.2760 or paulfitz@proteinsources.com 
 
John FitzSimmons, Partner.  As the General Manager of Protein Sources Milling, John brings over 25 years of swine feed and nutrition management to our clients.  Besides his professional responsibilities, John is actively involved in the Blue Earth County Pork Producers and St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Good Thunder.  John's hobbies include spending time with his family and pheasant hunting.  John can be contacted at 507.420.5140 or jffitzsimmons@proteinsources.com
 
William FitzSimmons, Partner. Bill brings over 25 years of farrowing and farm management experience to Protein Sources and its clients and is responsible for day-to-day management and training.  Bill was raised in the Good Thunder area and still resides there with his wife Gretchen and family. When he is not working, spending time with his family and coaching youth sports, Bill enjoys ATV riding, fishing and hunting. Bill may be reached at 507.340.3968 or billfitz@proteinsources.com
 
Richard FitzSimmons, Partner. With more than 25 years of swine management experience, Richard is Protein Sources' expert in finishing production.  Richard specializes in communicating with the company's valued growers to coordinate pig flow and establish marketing strategies.  In addition to his professional commitments, Richard is an active participant in numerous community organizations including St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Good Thunder, The Blue Earth County Pork Producers, and the Lyra Township Board.  In his spare time, Richard enjoys hunting, riding his ATV, and socializing with family and friends.  Richard can be contacted at: 507.340.2761 or rmfitz@proteinsources.com
Pat FitzSimmons, Partner. Pat is Protein Sources' specialist in facility management and renovation.  With prior experience in residential and agriculture facility construction in addition to management experience in farrowing to finish operations, Pat brings a winning combination of knowledge and skills to help our clients succeed.  Outside of the office, Pat is an active member and former president of the Cokato Lions Club, a former president of the Wright County Pork Producers, and a former president of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association.  When not busy with his community involvements, Pat enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.  Pat can be reached at 507.380.7012 or patfitz@proteinsources.com.
 
Bron Scherer, CPA-Retired, Partner. is a Protein Sources founder and serves as its Chief Executive and Financial Officer. He has been an accountant professionally since 1979 (CPA 1981-2021, CPA-Retired, May 2021). He currently provides financial consulting, advisory, project management and CFO services for companies principally in southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities. Bron began his professional career with Arthur Andersen & Co, Minneapolis upon graduation from Mankato State University (Minnesota State-Mankato) with a Bachelor of Science Degree-Accounting. He left the Firm in 1987 as an accounting and audit manager and has been self-employed since. Bron has been not only interested but active in politics since grade school. Growing up in rural Martin County (Amboy-Good Thunder HS alum), he has a sizeable collection of Barry Goldwater, Anchor Nelson and Tom Hagedorn political artifacts from the 1960's and 1970's. He has served as treasurer for three Minnesota State legislative candidates, served as campaign manager for (former) Senator Al DeKruif in 2010, was Rice County BPOU chair, Rice County BPOU Finance Chair and Treasurer/Executive Committee Member for the CD #2 Republican Party of Minnesota as well as assisting numerous local candidates for public office over the years in addition to serving on the Republican Party of Minnesota Executive Committee as Treasurer from 2012-February 2021. Bron is active in the community, having served on several non-profit and church boards and committees including the Ad Hoc Finance Committee to the Northfield City Council, City of Northfield Finance Committee, Vice President of the MSU-Mankato Hoops Club, Chairman & Vice Chairman of the Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service Board of Directors and a Trustee of the Northfield Fire Department Relief Association. In 2014, he was appointed to the MSU-Mankato College of Business Advisory Council. Scherer is the recipient of the 2015 Minnesota State Athletics Philanthropic Award and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2015. He also serves on the National Pork Producers Competitive Markets and Pork Industry Risk Management Committees. Bron enjoys the shooting sports, hosting political talk radio shows, bowling, karaoke, playing piano, smoking hand-made, premium cigars and reading. Bron and family live in Northfield, Minnesota. Bron can be contacted at 507-649-1903 or at bron@bronmn.com.
Dan Sohre, Partner.  With Protein Sources since 1997, Dan is responsible for overseeing the financial accounting, reporting and analysis for our clients and their operations.  In addition, he utilizes a hog marketing tool that he developed to assist clients with their marketing and feed purchase decisions.  Dan is an excellent resource for our clients, as his prior work experience on a farrow-to-finish operation and his educational and professional background give him an all-around perpective and appreciation of the industry.  With an accounting degree from Minnesota State University-Mankato, Dan gained experience completing farm and corporate tax returns with the public accounting firm of Wolf Etter and Company before bringing his talents to Protein Sources.  Dan's other commitments include being a member of the finance council at St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Good Thunder, being the President of the Board of Directors at the Child Care Center of Mapleton, being a member of the Heather Curling Club, and being a member of the Economic Development Authority of Mapleton.  When not busy with work and civic commitments, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, camping, fishing, and golfing.  Dan can be contacted at 507.420.5141 or dsohre@proteinsources.com
 
 
Shane Wilson has been with Protein Sources for 18 years and oversees all of Protein Sources' owned and managed nurseries, encompassing over 60,000 nursery pigs at various sites.  Shane is a key member of the Protein Sources team and was recently awarded the "Swine Manager of the Year Award" from the Minnesota Pork Producers.  Shane grew up and worked on a farm in rural Good Thunder and is a graduate of Maple River High School in Mapleton, MN. After high school, Shane went on to receive a two-year degree in auto body repair at MTC in North Mankato before starting his career in the agricultural industry.  Shane now resides in rural Mankato, MN with his wife Becky and his two sons, Carter and Trevor. In his spare time, Shane enjoys camping, fishing, pheasant hunting and riding four-wheeler as well as spending time with his family and friends.  Shane can be contacted at 507.420.3887 or swilson@proteinsources.com
 
 
Steve Kastning has been with Protein Sources since 2004 and is a key member of our management team overseeing sow farm production. Steve has had a lifelong farm background and came to Protein Sources with experience as a gestation manager and a farrowing manager.  Steve grew up in the Truman, MN area and after Truman High School went on to graduate from Southwestern Technical College in Total Quality Transformation. Steve now lives in Winnebago, MN and in his spare time loves to hunt and shoot sporting clay. Steve has one son, Josh, and also enjoys spending quality time with his gradchildren, Taylor and Jackson.  Steve can be contacted at 507.340.7745 or skastning@proteinsources.com
 
 
John Hollerich, CPA, Partner, has been a Controller at Protein Sources LLP since 2006. John oversees the financial accounting, reporting and analysis for a number of the sow farms managed by the Company. John is originally from the rural Amboy, MN area where he helped his dad and the FitzSimmons’ on their farms throughout his school years. He now resides in Mapleton, MN. John is a 1996 graduate of Maple River High School, and a 2000 graduate of the University of St. Thomas.  Prior to working for Protein Sources, John was a manager with the public accounting firm Wipfli, LLP. He specialized in individual and small business taxation, as well as financial institutions and manufacturing businesses. During his time at Wipfli, he also worked with a core group of employees and transitioned the entire firm to a paperless environment. John's past associations include sitting on the St. Joseph Catholic Church Finance Council, Secretary of the Blue Earth County Republican BPOU, and Chair of the Blue Earth County Republican BPOU.  John currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Maple River AAA Foundation, the Board of Directors for the Mapleton Community Home, City of Mapleton's Economic Development Authority, and began serving his first term as Mayor of Mapleton in 2015.   He is also an active volunteer at Maple River Loaves & Fishes Food Shelf. John can be contacted at 507.995.4228 or jhollerich@proteinsources.com
  Dr. Lori Feldmann, DVM joined the Protein Sources Management Team as a Veterinarian in 2009. Lori grew up on a farrow-to-finish hog operation in Northeast Iowa and now resides in rural Amboy, MN. She graduated from Ellsworth Community College with a degree in Biotechnology in 2004 and from Iowa State University with her DVM in 2009. She is currently a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and the Blue Earth County Pork Producers. In her free time, Lori enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, helping take care of their 30 apple trees, reading, baking, and sewing.  Lori can be contacted at 507.720.2045 or lfeldmann@proteinsources.com