I'm a Drover: A Legacy of Leadership

 By Sharla Ishmael

As a young man growing up in Seaton, Illinois, on the place his father and grandfather farmed and raised Hereford cattle, J. Neil Orth probably didn’t foresee the different tracks his career would eventually take. Then again, if you know Orth you also realize quickly that the gears are always turning behind his quiet, yet warm, demeanor and the twinkling in his eyes. Foresight is a defining characteristic of his journey—as a cattleman, a livestock marketing professional and, for the last 30 years, a breed association executive.

For instance, in his first full-time job after Michigan State University, Orth worked as a fieldman for Drover’s Journal under the guidance of another livestock marketing legend, Fos Palmer. One of the clients he called on in his territory was a big-time Hampshire hog breeding family, the Lindskogs. In 1969, Orth called on the Lindskogs about advertising for their fall sale. Eddie Lindskog mentioned their son, Brad, was just starting to show steers and would Orth mind taking a look at what they had in the barn.

“Out of this lean-to shed came a smoky steer unlike anything I had ever seen before,” Orth remembers. “They had bought the steer in a sale the fall before and were thinking of taking him to the Illinois State Fair beef carcass show.” Lindskog says Orth had a better idea. 

“When Neil saw him, his first words were, ‘Man, don’t even consider taking him to a carcass show!’ He went on to explain that times were changing in the cattle industry, and we should consider taking him to the International Livestock Show, where diverse ideas were acted upon. Dr. Don Good, Kansas State University, was to be the judge. Neil told us Dr. Good could be one person to make a bold and forward-thinking decision, signaling change for cattle type in the industry.”

If you haven’t guessed it already, the steer was the famous “Conoco”— the first crossbred steer to win the International Livestock Show. More than just a single show, Conoco set in motion a huge change in the industry from the fat, little “belt-buckle” type of purebred Angus, Shorthorn and Hereford steers to the explosion of Continental breeds and crossbreeding. If Orth hadn’t been there to advise the Lindskogs, Conoco might have won the Illinois State Fair carcass show, but he wouldn’t have been the turning point of type change for the cattle industry (particularly the Charolais breed) that he was. 

The Conoco story is also a great example of another distinguishing Orth characteristic — being perfectly willing to take a back seat so others can shine in the lights. Few people probably know of his connection to that steer because he just didn’t broadcast it. He was there the day Dr. Good slapped the steer champion, but he stayed in the background because, he says, as a Drovers representative he didn’t want to be seen as showing favoritism.  

“You will never hear Neil brag of his accolades and accomplishments, as he is as humble as they come. I feel that is a true testament to the individual that Neil is. Quietly confident, full of integrity,” wrote Cody Beck, southwest representative for the American-International Charolais Association, in one of 158 letters of support for Neil Orth’s nomination for the Saddle & Sirloin Portrait Award. 

The letters came from 27 states, four foreign countries, seven previous Saddle & Sirloin Portrait recipients, seven fellow breed executives, 23 current and past employees and more from various facets of the business, from auctioneers to academics. One supporter called Orth his hero, another named his son after him. Most spoke about his professionalism, poise under fire and people skills, not to mention a sharp eye for the right kind of cattle. Then there’s this letter.

“In my opinion, his greatest attribute has been instilling the love and passion for the industry to the younger generations he has encountered and served. I have been privileged to be a part of that group and, most importantly, fortunate to call him … Dad,” wrote daughter Jamie Orth Lane. While I was growing up, I knew my father as a cattleman, a marketer and a historian. I remember being at my grandparent’s house and seeing a picture of a Chicago Champion steer and being unable to process that my dad was telling me he and my grandpa raised him (a Hereford-Simmental named Bold Move, shown by Kristin Lindskog in 1972). 

“That picture proudly hangs in my living room today and his grandchildren often comment on how competitive that steer would be today. He taught me many things about breeding cattle and the one that I easily remember is if it doesn’t fit in the industry, it shouldn’t fit in the showring. Fads were not allowed at our house! I can’t even begin to place a value on the cattle he helped market throughout the years, but I do know he was influential in the marketing of many industry-changing genetics,” she added.

“We have had many conversations about this young kid or that young kid and what a great one (auctioneer, breeder, marketer) he is going to be. Just like his sense in finding a “green” one for us to show back in the day, he has that same sense with people. And perhaps that will be his greatest legacy, finding the right people for the right job and equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to continue to move this industry forward,” Jamie wrote.

She and her brothers, Brian and Scott, formed the Orth Outfit and were very successful showing the Hereford cattle they raised, including a number of national champions at the Hereford Junior Nationals in the 1980s. 

Right time, right place

In addition to stockmanship that comes from a being part of a generational family farm, Orth had the benefit of going to Michigan State University (MSU) at a time when young graduate students were there who would go on to become industry icons — like Harlan Ritchie. In fact, Ritchie (a fellow portrait member) has said Orth was on one of the best livestock judging teams he ever coached at Michigan State and was “the most talented on a very talented team.” Orth also became herdsman at MSU’s purebred beef unit under the guidance of Ritchie and Larry Cotton. 

He also worked at Penn State under Herman Purdy (another portrait member), as a team member taking the university’s show cattle on the road.

Spearheaded by Gary Minish (portrait member), who was an MSU graduate student at the time, Orth took on a very interesting side gig during his college years, which in turn led to his first full-time job out of college. The Central National Bank of Chicago hired him to manage and take on tour four consecutive grand champion steers from the International Livestock Show. 

In 1964, the U.S. Department of Agriculture joined in and wanted Orth to take the champion steer overseas, to West Berlin, Germany to display at the World Trade Fair and promote U.S. beef. In addition to a paid trip around Europe, Orth had the opportunity to be an ambassador for the American beef industry and it gave him insight into the value of public relations and strategic marketing.

It was during one of these steer tours in the Midwest where Orth happened to meet some folks with Drovers. “They asked if I would consider becoming a fieldman,” he explains. “I said ‘Yes, I sure would.’”

He started as a fieldman for Drovers in 1968, with his whole territory being just one-half of the state of Illinois. It was a very different time in livestock publishing when there was enough money being invested in print advertising to support a fieldman in just half of a state. Orth was good at selling ads because he was good with people and an exceptional ringman at sales. Soon, his territory increased and by 1970 he was promoted to director of field staff and advertising sales manager. It was a quick rise at a very prestigious publication, and he credits part of what he learned about being a good salesman to Fos Palmer (yet another member of the portrait gallery). 

“Fos was semi-retired at the time, and I was fortunate enough to somehow catch his eye,” Orth recalls. “We’d go make herd visits together. He never talked about selling ads, but his big deal was we would rehearse the dog’s name, the wife’s name, all that kind of stuff before we got out of the vehicle. He gave me a rate card, but most of what he instilled was people skills.

“He taught me that cows don’t buy advertising; people do,” Orth says.

It was the glory days of livestock advertising when tax laws brought a lot of wealth into the cattle business — that and all of the “new” Continental breeds exploding on the scene. Between 1970 and 1987, gross ad sales revenue increased at Drovers by several hundred percent. In 1983, Orth was named associate publisher and he assumed supervision over both editorial and sales departments. In 1984, he was named the Livestock Marketer of the Year. In 2000, Neil was inducted into the Livestock Publications Council Hall of Fame for meritorious service to the livestock publishing industry.

“Also, 90% of the breed associations did not own their own magazine until the mid-70s and 80s. All of those things were happening that will never happen again,” he explains. 

In 1987, as the industry’s economic situation shifted, Orth left Drovers to form a full-service marketing company, The Connection, Inc., specializing in comprehensive marketing services for purebred and commercial producers. 

In 1988, plot twist — Orth was hired as executive vice president of the International Brangus Breeders Association. It was a different role for Orth, but one he had actually considered for a while. 

“I always looked up to breed association execs like Hop Dickinson at Hereford, Pete Swaffar at Shorthorn, Dick Spader at Angus and Roger Hunsley, also at Shorthorn,” he explains. “I saw how they handled themselves and I thought if you really liked the livestock business it was a great place to be. I thought I might like to do that someday. Then Brangus contacted me.”

At that time, many breed associations were struggling with the implementation of EPDs and how to process, utilize, and ensure the accuracy of performance data. It was also a financially difficult time as the breed association world struggled to adapt to the sudden change in tax laws that sucked out quite a bit of registrations and money from their coffers. 

While some breeds wasted time arguing about it, Orth was able to convince Brangus board members to get on the data train. During his 12-year tenure at IBBA, the breed:

• Began collecting ultrasound data and funded ultrasound research at Kansas State and Auburn.

• Implemented multiple programs to collect and quantify data.

• Developed carcass EPDs.

• Developed a performance registration certificate.

• Was the first breed to publish ribeye area EPDs.

• Implemented Whole Herd Reporting.

• Was the first breed association to publish fat thickness and intramuscular fat EPDs.

• Doubled cash reserves from 1990-98.

When he took over the helm at the American-International Charolais Association in 2001, Orth brought with him the same ability to guide membership to embrace decisions that have moved the Charolais breed forward. Under his leadership, the Charolais association has:

• Tripled cash reserves to $6 million.

• Adopted Whole Herd Reporting.

• Enhanced EPDs with genomic data GE-EPDs).

• Developed industry’s first Terminal Sire Index.

• Implemented single step genomic evaluation.

• Began evaluating udder score data.

• Launched a bi-annual tabloid targeting the commercial industry.

When AICA brought him to Kansas City, Orth also focused on giving his time and leadership to the American Royal, a show that was struggling. He’s served as the livestock committee chairman for 15 years and served on the junior premium auction committee for more than 20 years. In 2015, Neil was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Royal for his dedication and outstanding service.

“Sitting on the block, witnessing and impacting every child who has entered that ring over the last 20 years, is Mr. Neil Orth,” wrote Glen Alan Phillips, Charlie Tetrick and Kim Palmer, with the American Royal Association. “Because of him, these youth’s memories have been brighter, their college accounts have larger balances, and the American Royal Board, staff, and volunteers have felt an indescribable amount of support.”

It’s impossible to try and capture all that a person like Neil Orth has done in a 50-year career in one article. Beyond the awards — even being honored with his portrait in the Saddle & Sirloin gallery — one quote from a nomination letter really gets to the heart of the matter of the legacy Orth will leave behind when he retires this year. 

“Even with all these prestigious accomplishments the real measure of his success is the person he is,” wrote auctioneer James M. Birdwell. “He is a friend to all, young or old, beginning or established, any breed or color, rich or poor, he will know you. His smiling friendly demeanor is contagious along with his encouragement and his congratulations for a job well done is priceless. All these characteristics coupled with a true desire and willingness to serve the industry set him apart and identifies him truly as the professional of the professionals.”

What comes next? Orth plans to spend a lot of time with grandchildren and travel with his wife, Diane, to revisit some of the places he’s been along the way. There is the family farm still in Illinois and other places he’s been in his life where he’d like to do some of the things he didn’t have time for back in the day. One thing is for sure, wherever he goes, Neil Orth will have many friends very happy to see him. He might even go to an auction sometime along the way.

Editor’s note: This profile first appeared in the Charolais Journal and is reprinted with permission.