BEEF QUALITY SUMMIT SPEAKERS DEEVON BAILEY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AND INTERIM HEAD COSTS, TRADE-OFFS, AND RISKS WILL IT PAY TO PRODUCE FOR A SPECIFIC MARKET? DeeVon Bailey is Professor and Interim Department Head in the Department of Economics at Utah State University. He received his Ph. D in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University in 1983. His research during the past five years has focused on animal and meat traceability and how these characteristics might be used to add value to these products. TRACY BRUNNER COW CAMP BEEF INC. PRESIDENT Tracy Brunner is president of Cow Camp Beef, a fourth-generation family beef business located on the Western Flint Hills of Central Kansas. Cow Camp Beef includes several related entities, all aligned to produce higher value beef, including it s own premium line - Brunner All Natural BeefTM. Their work is helping other producers Make the move from cattle producer to beef producer. Tracy serves on the NCBA Executive Committee, and is past chairman of the New Product and Culinary Initiatives Committee of NCBA. Tracy served two terms on the Cattlemen s Beef Promotion and Research Board, three years on its Operating Committee, and as chairman of the Kansas Beef Council. Tracy has a Masters degree in Agribusiness from Kansas State University. KEN BULL CARGILL BEEF VICE PRESIDENT CATTLE PROCUREMENT Ken Bull is Vice President Cattle Procurement :: for Excel Corporation, Beef Business Unit. He oversees all cattle procurement activities, both spot and deferred, as well as risk management. During his career with Cargill, Ken has worked in grain merchandising and hedging, cattle sales and hedge strategies, and as a market analyst in the livestock complex. Ken was appointed by USDA Secretary, Dan Glickman, to a taskforce on Concentration in Agriculture. He has testified to numerous legislative committees on issues relating to the cattle and packing industry. Ken received :: Master Agriculture degree from Texas A&M University. BARB DOWNEY DOWNEY RANCH, INC. MANAGING PARTNER Barb Downey is managing partner for Downey Ranch, Inc., a family owned corporation that markets cattle as high quality finished beef, commercial replacement female breeding stock and registered Angus seedstock. Downey Ranch has been focused on providing high quality beef to consumers since day one, utilizing tools including retained ownership, full carcass data collection, electronic cattle management, ultrasound management of cattle on feed, carcass EPD s and ultrasound data collection on breeding stock. Barb has a degree in Animal Sciences & Industry from Kansas State University, and has completed some graduate work in ruminant nutrition at KSU.
ROBERT CANNELL MCDONALD S USA DIRECTOR SUPPLY CHAIN HOW MCDONALD S BEEF CONSUMERS DEFINE QUALITY Dr. Robert Cannell serves as Supply Chain Director for McDonald s USA, with responsibility for beef and pork as part of more than $1.3 Billion of purchases that supply 13,700 McDonald s restaurants across the U.S. Prior to his current position, he supervised boxed beef fabrication and ground beef production for Harris Ranch Beef Company. At ConAgra Beef Company, he worked in quality control, and HACCP/food safety. He was responsible for the NCBA injection site/beef Quality Assurance audits, and has done research on meat safety, palatability, and machine vision systems for objective quality and value determination of beef carcasses. Dr. Cannell received his Ph.D. in Meat Science from Colorado State University. TRAVIS CHOAT SMITHFIELD BEEF GROUP DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES/LIVE OPERATIONS WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A MARKETING PARTNER Travis Choat is Director of Technical Services for Live Operations at Smithfield Beef Group. He oversees all technical aspects of the company s procurement and cattle feeding divisions including regulatory affairs, a natural beef line and a quality systems assessment program. Travis is a native Oklahoman. He has degrees in animal science and ruminant nutrition from Oklahoma State University and a Ph.D in Meat Science from Colorado State University. WAYNE COCKRELL CARTER RANCH Wayne Cockrell is Ranch Manager for Carter Ranch, an 1800 head commercial cow/calf, 6000 head stocker, hay, and horse operation located in East Central Texas. He was raised on a family ranching operation near Lometa, Texas. Wayne has been an active volunteer in local education, livestock, and 4-H programs. He is a member of the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and NCBA. He holds a degree in business administration from Angelo State University, and is a graduate of the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program, and Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program. TED DAVIS MORGAN DAVIS INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Ted Davis is Vice President of Morgan Davis International. He is a first generation rancher and has raised Wagyu cattle since 1990. Essentially all of the Davis cattle are fed for export to the European Union. Ted is currently vice president and a director for the American Wagyu Association. He attended Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. STEVE ERICKSON OSI RESTAURANT PARTNERS INC. VICE PRESIDENT / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE HOW DO OUTBACK BEEF CONSUMERS DEFINE QUALITY? Steve Erickson is Vice President of Operations for Outback Steakhouse. Steve began his restaurant career with Copeland s in New Orleans. He started with Outback Steakhouse in 1990 as an opening Managing Partner in Clearlake, TX. In April of 1995 he was promoted to Joint Venture Partner of the South Texas area, experiencing two years of double-digit sales increases as his team built the Outback brand in the Texas market. Steve was Region Vice President of the Western Region from 1997 to 2004 when he was promoted to his current position at the Home Office in Tampa, overseeing all RVP areas. Steve is a graduate of The University of Colorado.
MARK HARMON JOPLIN REGIONAL STOCKYARDS MARKETING MANAGER OF JRS QSA (QUALITY SYSTEM ASSESSMENT) PROGRAM AND VALUE ADDED PROCUREMENT Mark Harmon is Marketing Manager for the QSA (Quality System Assessment) Program and Value Added Procurement at Joplin Regional Stockyards(JRS). During 26 years with JRS, Mark has managed the company ranch, worked in cattle procurement, and was instrumental in creation of the JRS marketing strategy. JRS now sells approximately 500,000 cattle yearly, with some 200,000 being value added cattle. Mark s personal area of research interest is the feasibility for the average producer to meet the new regulations and rules of the industry for adding extra value to their product without adding a burden to their operation. LYNN HEINZE U.S. MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION VICE PRESIDENT - INFORMATION CURRENT INTERNATIONAL BEEF TRADE OPPORTUNITIES Lynn R. Heinze is vice president of information services for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, a non-profit trade association working to create new export opportunities and developing existing international markets for U.S. beef, pork, lamb and veal. Lynn has worked as a writer, photographer, editor, broadcaster and public relations executive. He helped develop innovative communications services for the National Live Stock and Meat Board, NCBA, and now USMEF. Lynn has a degree from the University of Colorado, and is a graduate fellow of the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program. HARLAN HUGHES BEEF MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR QUALITY, PROFIT, AND THE CATTLE CYCLE Harlan Hughes is a contributing editor for BEEF Magazine. In his monthly column, Market Advisor, he strives to teach beef producers how to integrate economic concepts and analyses into their production decisions. A frequent conference speaker in the U.S. and Canada, he is known for his work on how to profit from cattle cycles, unit cost of producing a hundredweight of calf, the economic value of a bred heifer, feeder calf price projections, and Integrated Resource Management (IRM). Harlan is Professor Emeritus at North Dakota State University. During his university extension career, he also worked in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Wyoming. Harlan received his Ph.D. in production economics from the University of Missouri. MARY ANN KNIEBEL BEEF NUTRITIONAL CONSULTANT ADM ALLIANCE NUTRITION, CO-OWNER KNIEBEL CATTLE CO. Mary Ann Kniebel is a nutritionist for ADM Alliance Nutrition (Moorman s), and is a partner in Kniebel Farms in the Flint Hills of Kansas - a registered Red Angus seedstock herd, commercial cow-calf herd, feedlot, and farm. Kniebel Farms is unique in the fact they have sold only market ready beef since its beginning in 1878. Mary Ann and her husband, Kevin, were founding members in US Premium Beef. She assists feedlot customers in managing cattle for USPB and other markets, including age and source verification for international markets. Mary Ann holds a master s degree in reproductive physiology from Kansas State University.
MARK MCCULLY CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF DIRECTOR, SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT Mark McCully is supply development director for Certified Angus Beef LLC. He leads the company s effort to increase the long-term supply of superior Angus-influenced cattle. He works with producers in both the feedlot and cow/calf segments of the industry. McCully has worked at CAB since 2000 in the areas of packing director; and retail, foodservice, and international sales. He holds a bachelor s degree from Western Illinois University, and has completed requirements for a master s degree from Michigan State University. BILL MIES EMERGE INTERACTIVE VICE PRESIDENT NATIONAL ACCOUNTS WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A MARKETING PARTNER Bill Mies is Vice President National Accounts Sales for emerge Interactive. Dr. Mies has worked as Chairman of the NCBA Research and Education Committee, as advisor to the Value Based Marketing Task Force and as technical advisor to the Beef Quality Assurance Task Force. He designed and implemented the NCBA Strategic Alliances Demonstration Project which has been the template for many of the current beef alliances. Dr. Mies taught livestock marketing and feedyard management at Texas A&M University, where he received the Outstanding Teacher award for the College of Agriculture, and the Honor Professor award given by the students of the College of Agriculture. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. BRAD MORGAN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR HOW DO U.S. BEEF CONSUMERS DEFINE QUALITY? Dr. J. Brad Morgan teaches courses in meat science and technology at Oklahoma State University. His current research is directed toward development of a rapid, accurate, objective method to predict tenderness of youthful, grain-fed beef carcasses. Brad has been involved in the National Beef Quality Audit, and has provided food safety workshops to 90 raw-meat suppliers of McDonald s USA. He holds a PhD in Animal Science (Meats and Muscle Biology) from Texas A&M University, and was recently named Outstanding Young Scientist by the American Meat Science Association. CLINT PECK BEEF MAGAZINE SENIOR EDITOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR U.S. QUALITY BEEF Clint Peck is Senior Editor of BEEF Magazine, and is a contributor to Cow-Calf Weekly BEEF s e-newsletter. Clint grew up on a farm/ranch in Montana s Yellowstone River valley and holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering Technology from Montana State University/Bozeman. Clint also teaches Global Beef Production Systems at Montana State, and is an advisor to the Montana Beef Quality Assurance program. He specializes in international cattle trade and the dynamics of global beef production. In 2003 he received Story of the Year honors from the American Association of Agriculture Editors for a series profiling Brazilian beef production systems.
TONY RIBBLE WAL-MART SUPERCENTERS BEEF CATEGORY MANAGER HOW WAL-MART BEEF CONSUMERS DEFINE QUALITY Tony Ribble is currently the Senior Buyer and Beef Category Manager with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He has held various positions at ConAgra Meats including Marketing Representative and National Accounts Manager. He also worked with regional grocery chain Skaggs Alpha Beta in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in various meat department capacities. BILL ROSER WHEELER BROTHERS FEEDYARD MANAGER Bill Roser has managed Wheeler Brothers Feedyard for the past nine years. His twenty two years in the feedyard industry began at Texas Tech University, Burnett Research Feedyard in New Deal, Texas. Bill has worked for Decatur County Feedyard, Oberlin, Kansas, and Texzona Cattle Feeders, Hale Center, Texas. He is active with Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen s Association, and National Cattlemen s Beef Association. Bill has a degree from Michigan State University. DAN SCHOENFELDER RAINBOW S END RANCH, INC. GENERAL MANAGER/TREASURER Dan Schoenfelder is general manager of Rainbow s End Ranch, the Schoenfelder family livestock enterprise. They currently run 2,400 cows in Texas and Arizona in a unique relationship where the ranch owner/managers are paid monthly for the care of the cattle, and included in management and marketing decisions. Rainbow s End Ranch has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry since 1971 - multi-breed seedstock operation, magazine publishing, a large scale holistic range operation, an irrigated stocker enterprise, and a feedlot. Schoenfelder is focused on profitability by minimizing overhead and identifying trends early enough to have the practices working smoothly by the time premiums can be captured in the market. GARY C. SMITH DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCES, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AND HOLDER OF THE MONFORT CHAIR IN MEAT SCIENCE WHY QUALITY MATTERS Dr. Gary C. Smith is University Distinguished Professor and Holder of the Monfort Chair in Meat Science at Colorado State University. Previously, he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. Gary is the recipient of numerous teaching, research and professional awards and citations, and was named one of the 25 Who Made a Difference by BEEF Magazine. Smith s research interests include red meat safety, carcass evaluation and grading; composition, quality and palatability of red meat; and, packaging and retailing of red meat. He has published 433 full-length articles in refereed scientific journals and more than 900 other publications. Dr. Smith was a member of the US/Japan BSE Working Group in 2004; and a member of the US/Japan BEV Technical Trade Team in 2004.
MARK SPIRE, DVM BOVINE TECHNICAL SERVICES MANAGER SCHERING-PLOUGH ANIMAL HEALTH CORP. WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A MARKETING PARTNER Dr. Mark Spire is Technical Services Manager in the Large Animal Business Unit of Schering-Plough Animal Health focusing on cow/calf and stocker clientele. A Professor emeritus of Kansas State University s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Spire conducted research in beef quality assurance, feedlot and stocker health and management, animal disease surveillance, and remote, non-invasive diagnostic tools to assess cattle and swine health and performance. At KSU, he was also instrumental in developing the Feedlot Certification Program for professionals entering feedlot consultation. He has authored over 100 scientific publications. He currently on the USDA NAIS Cattle Working Group, and the USAHA Animal Identification Committee. Dr. Spire earned his DVM at Texas A&M University. ::