Angus Elects Five New Board Members
First convention and trade show sparks interest in Kansas City
In the culmination of what was described as a challenging year, the American Angus Association held its first “Angus Means Business” convention and trade show in Kansas City at the KCI Expo Center Nov. 4-6. The event concluded with the breed’s 131st Annual Convention of Delegates who elected new board members and officers.
Angus’ first-ever convention and trade show attracted more than 1,700 registered attendees for a schedule of speakers and informational sessions, called “Angus University.” The trade show was a popular attraction with more than 100 exhibitors.
Angus University, sponsored by Merck Animal Health, told “The Story of a Steak,” building on television and editorial content created by High Plains Journal.
The “Story of a Steak” series, which appears on The Angus Report, a news program on RFD-TV,
emphasizes the importance of all industry sectors working together to improve the quality of beef and the profitability of producers, feeders and packers. Keynote speaker for the event was Lowell Catlett, futurist and dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University, who shared his perspectives on emerging technologies and their potential impacts on the cattle industry.
Interest in the breed’s annual convention was heightened by events this April, when the association parted ways with 12 long-tenured employees. Those employees represented nearly 300 years of experience with the association and brought industry-wide attention to the breed, its board of directors and officers.
Ballots from 4,425 association members resulted in 305 delegates from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada who were eligible to vote during the Annual Convention of Delegates. The delegates were charged with electing five new members to the board of directors. A simple majority (153 votes) were necessary for each candidate to be elected to the board.
The first ballot saw four candidates selected to serve three-year terms: Dave Nichols, Bridgewater, Iowa;
Jerry Connealy, Whitman, Neb.; David Dal Porto, Brentwood, Calif.; and John Grimes, Hillsboro, Ohio.
According to the breed’s by-laws, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast on successive ballots, the candidate with the lowest vote total is dropped off and another vote is conducted. Following the first ballot, there were seven remaining candidates. Six additional votes were taken until James Henderson, Memphis, Texas, was elected to the fifth position. (Note: James Henderson is not related to this reporter.)
Following the election of new board members, Steve Olson, Hereford, Texas, was elected as association president and chairman of the board. He succeeds Gordon Stucky of Kingman, Kan.
Jim Sitz, Dillon, Mont., was elected vice president and vice chairman of the board. Charlie Boyd, Mays Lick, Ky., will serve as treasurer.
Madison Butler, Vincennes, Ind., was crowned the 2015 Miss American Angus during the Awards Recognition Breakfast Nov. 6. Butler is a freshman at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan., where she is studying food science. She is the daughter of Rob and Casey Butler.
To contact Greg Henderson, email ghenderson@farmjournal.com.
For more about the American Angus Association, visit www.BeefToday.com/Angus
