Disability Advocate Michael Kutcher Joins Finley’s Pet Treats as Sales, Marketing Consultant

Listen to this article

Press release: Finley’s Pet Treats

Finley’s Pet Treats, premium pet brand dedicated to inclusion through employment, recently announced that national disability advocate and keynote speaker Michael Kutcher has joined the company as a sales and marketing consultant. In his role, Kutcher will help Finley’s fulfill its mission to bring inclusion to the pet industry through employment readiness, health and wellness and community advocacy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael to the Finley’s team,” said Chase Rasmussen, president of KLN Family Brands, the parent company of Finley’s. “Michael’s remarkable life story and his advocacy for those with disabilities makes him an incredible asset to our team and will ensure that diversity and inclusion always remains a key priority for Finley’s.”

The twin brother of actor Christopher “Ashton” Kutcher, Michael met his first of many challenges at delivery. Entering the world notably smaller than his twin at less than five pounds, Kutcher was hardly responsive and struggled to take his first breath. Thanks to both outstanding medical care and his indomitable instinct to survive, Kutcher pulled through his first days and weeks, although not without lasting adverse effects. By age three, Kutcher was battling significant developmental delays, caused by irreversible neurological pathologies. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy before he entered kindergarten.

Unfortunately, Kutcher’s uphill battle was only getting started. Diagnosed with heart failure at age 13, Kutcher was given a life expectancy of just three to four weeks. He again defeated the odds and successfully received a life-saving heart transplant. It was this second close brush with death that opened Kutcher’s eyes to the fragility of life and inspired him to take control of the future he once thought he wouldn’t have.

“The team at Finley’s shares my passion for inclusion, empowerment and opportunities for people of all abilities,” said Kutcher. “I’m honored to collaborate with a company whose very mission is to make our world a better place for all of us.”

Besides his role with Finley’s, Kutcher works with The Cerebral Palsy Foundation and Donate Life as an advocate and public speaker. His determination and passion have brought him to Capitol Hill, where Kutcher has worked to raise awareness. He is a dog dad and an animal advocate who is passionate about the pet industry.

In 2016, former Special Education teachers and Founders Angie & Kyle Gallus launched Finley’s out of a small commissary kitchen in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ​Shortly into their journey, Ashton Kutcher gave Finley’s a shout out on his social media. Business quickly grew from that small kitchen, local markets and shipping our first pallet out of our home garage during a blizzard, to a larger operation with trusted industry partners behind us. Finley’s was built by customers, for customers and maintains the promise to deliver products that serve a greater purpose for people, pets and the planet.

A third-generation family-owned company, KLN Family Brands is located in Perham, Minnesota and is comprised of Tuffy’s Pet Foods and Tuffy’s Treat Company, manufacturers of NutriSource and Kenny’s Candy & Confections. Tuffy’s has been proudly producing quality pet foods since 1964. Kenny’s Candy & Confections, established in 2015, produces great snack brands that include Wiley Wallaby and Sweet Chaos.