About Us
Protein Alliance was created in 1999 when Jeff Stauffenecker and Carl Wittenburg took their extensive experience in the agricultural industry and pursued their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. Both enjoy building relationships with their customers and suppliers. In the past, both have served as board members, Jeff on the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and Carl on the National Turkey Federation. In July 2022, Protein Alliance partnered with The Trade Café Group to provide enhanced digital transaction tools to our customers. Trade Café is a provider of software-enabled trade fulfillment and financing solutions to the protein industry. In January 2023, Protein Alliance relocated its office to 4277 Dakota Street, Suite C, Alexandria, MN 56308.
Carl grew up on a turkey, cattle and grain farm in southeast North Dakota. Carl attended the University of Minnesota-Crookston and North Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in University Studies and a minor in Food Science. He was employed by Northern Pride after college and then took a US Sales Manager position with Hybrid Turkeys, an international genetics company. Carl lives in Alexandria, MN with his wife Sharlene and they have 3 sons, Nick, Nate & Wyatt.
Jeff grew up on a turkey farm in Northern Minnesota. Jeff holds an Associate of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Minnesota-Crookston and a Bachelor of Science degree from North Dakota State University in Agricultural Economics. After graduating from college, Jeff spent two years working for Northern Pride as the Turkey Procurement Manager. He then moved to Willmar, MN and worked for Jennie-O Foods as Commodity Sales Manager for 4 years. Jeff lives in Spicer, MN with his wife LeAnn and they have two daughters, Jenna & Abby.
Clayton came to Protein Alliance / Trade Café in the fall of 2022. Clayton grew up on a livestock farm and attended St. John’s University. While at St. Johns he obtained his Business management degree. For the past 15 years, he worked in a wide variety of agriculture positions in the grain and livestock industries. To start his professional career he became a Series 3 license broker and most recently spent 4 years exploring the Carbon Credit space and introducing a digital transactional platform to the grain industry. Clayton’s diverse experience led him to Protein Alliance as an expert in behavioral change with years of experience introducing/onboarding clients to a web-based application.
Nick grew up in the turkey industry having 2 generations of family members highly involved in the turkey industry. Nick attended Minnesota State based in Moorhead, MN. Nick was a State Farm Insurance agent for 15 years working as a Sales Representative/Office Manager from 2004 through 2019. Nick worked in various plant operations at Northern Pride Inc. before joining the Protein Alliance team in the fall of 2021. Nick lives in Alexandria, MN with Kari and they have 3 daughters, Brecklyn, Brixten, & Bristol.
Sara grew up on her family’s farm surrounded by acres of corn, soybean crops, and alfalfa. They raised livestock such as cattle, pigs, chickens, and plenty of sheep, leading into heavy involvement within 4H. Later Sara attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus for a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science with an emphasis in Business Marketing Communications. Sara is married with two grown sons, and now presides on a lake in west central Minnesota.
Chelsie is a hard-working farm girl who grew up on a hobby farm outside of Osakis, MN producing beef cattle, fainting goats, chickens, and her favorite peacocks. Chelsie journey furthered into the medical field where she obtained a medical billing and coding degree and spent 7 years leading an assisted living complex in Alexandria, MN. Looking for a career change Chelsie decided to pursue global opportunities with Protein Alliance and the Trade Café teams. Chelsie currently resides near Osakis, MN and loves staying busy with her daughter Hazel and all things outdoors.