A Note About This History

The American Cheese Society is grateful to Kathleen Shannon Finn for compiling this history of ACS. A past president, an ACS Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and a board member who has actively participated in the business of the organization for more than twenty years, Kathleen brings a depth of firsthand experience to this work that few could offer. We thank her for the time, care, and institutional memory she has devoted to documenting important moments in the ACS story.

This is an unofficial history — a compilation of facts, thoughts, and reflections drawn from Kathleen's long service and the ACS leaders she interviewed. As such, it reflects the author's and interviewees' own understanding and interpretation, and should not be read as an official, comprehensive, or Board-endorsed account of ACS history. We share it not as the final word, but as a meaningful contribution to the larger, ongoing story of our community.

This document is offered in the spirit of preserving history and encouraging reflection, and we are pleased to make it available to members and friends of ACS who may find it valuable.