MONTANA STOCKGROWERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Advisory Committee Member for Broadwater Co
Industry Involvement: Hahn Ranch is a diversified, family-owned agricultural corporation that has been in business 112 years in Broadwater County. Hahn Ranch strives for high volume, highly efficient livestock and crop production. A cow/calf ranch, irrigated farm, small feedlot enterprise, and a trucking company comprise the core of the company's business. There are currently three generations living on the ranch, two of which are actively involved in operating and growing the business. Dusty serves as an "operations manager," and works hands-on with all aspects of the company. He also oversees seasonal employees and focuses on effectively organizing operations. Leadership Service: Dusty is an advisory committee member for Broadwater Co. Extension Service's Rancher Roundtable program, served as vice chair and chair of MSGA's Water Subcommittee, and has been trustee, vice chair and chair of the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation. He was a delegate to the NCBA Young Cattlemen's Conference, and participated in the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management Excellence in Ag leadership program. Challenges facing the beef industry: The biggest challenge to the beef industry in the next ten years revolves around the same challenge we have faced for the last 100 years: politics. As agriculturalists, we have a very keen focus on the physical and economic forces and influences that pressure our business. However, we do not always focus on or have a good grasp of the influence that politics play in our lives and our industry. The beef industry needs great leaders to navigate through the pitfalls of complex issues, opposing viewpoints, and unfavorable legislation. Leaders in the beef industry will be at the forefront of negotiating favorable policy at the local, state, federal, and international level. They must be the face and the voice of those they are representing. I believe most agriculturalists would rather stay in the country and do what they do best: produce. However, leaders must step forward and represent these interests. We all recognize the successful marketing campaign, "Beef… it's what's for dinner." When speaking about politics, this saying is often used: "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu." So it is imperative that we, as leaders, are involved in the political process to make sure that we have a seat at the table, and it's beef that's for dinner, not beef producers. Email: hahnsolo_mt@yahoo.com
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Specialist
Ellie Kenagy Brighton her role as MSGA's Government Affairs Specialist in August 2023. Ellie graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Applied Economics. During her time at Oregon State, she interned with Oregon Cattlemen's Association and Country Financial. She was also a Public Lands Council Nick Theos Scholar and two-time NCBA CME National Beef Scholarship recipient. Ellie was born and raised in rural Oregon, where she spent much of her time growing up and throughout college working on her family's first-generation stocker feedyard operation with her two younger sisters. In her role, Ellie will focus on policy, natural resource issues, and will serve as one of MSGA's lobbyists. In addition, she will serve as the executive staff for the Montana Association of State Grazing Districts and Montana Public Lands Council.
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Specialist
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator
- Program Coordinator for the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation
Heidi Kool joined the MSGA team as the program coordinator for the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation in 2023. Heidi is dedicated to coordinating the foundation's work and programs. Heidi has a strong background in program management, fundraising, administrative coordination, in addition to a strong agricultural background. She previously worked for the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association and in an administrative role for a medical group and a church. In addition to the previously mentioned credentials, Heidi and her family are actively involved in ranching as a fourth-generation family operation - Thousand Hills Angus in Toston.
Job Titles:
- Membership Representative
In February 2023, Ian Kane joined Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) as the association's Membership Representative. Ian is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he earned a degree in Food and Agricultural Business with a concentration in Agricultural Production and Technology Management.
Previously, Ian served as a regional manager intern for the American Angus Association. In his role he represented the Association across the country at different events such as cattle sales, state Angus Association tours, cattle shows, and industry meetings. He worked to build and strengthen relationships with current members as well as potential new members. In this role, he sought to maximize the satisfaction of the membership while also communicating the value that is provided by the American Angus Association.
Job Titles:
- Business Relationship Manager
- the Business Relationship Manager
Montana native, Joey Berndt, joined the Montana Stockgrowers Association as the Business Relationship Manager in March 2023. After spending several years as part of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce supporting the business community, she is looking forward to reaching out to Montana businesses and getting them involved in MSGA. Building relationships within the business community and gaining their support of Montana Stockgrowers is really exciting and there is so much opportunity throughout our state. She is the proud mom to one son that served in the Army and a daughter-in-law serving in the Navy with one grandson.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing & Communications
Keni joined the staff as the Manager of Communications in July 2019. Keni oversees all formal association communications including public relations, member communications, and association publications. Her tasks also include reporting on and disseminating industry information to MSGA stakeholders. She loves combining photography, design, and copy to communicate with members.
Keni was raised in Krum, Texas on her family's farm. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications with a minor in agribusiness management and equine science. In the past, she has worked with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, High Plains Water District, and the Northern International Livestock Exposition.
Job Titles:
- First Vice President
- President of the Phillips County Livestock Association
Industry Involvement: Lesley is a fourth generation Phillips County rancher. She and her husband Jim have been married for 35 years and ranch near Zortman. They have a commercial cow/calf and yearling operation, and both she and Jim have ranched their entire lives. The family-run ranch has been in the Robinson family since moving from the Miles City area in 1958. Their daughter Kirsty and her husband John own and operate a ranch near Riverton, Wyoming.
Leadership Service: Lesley has served as president of the Phillips County Livestock Association and Phillips County CattleWomen, was on the MSGA Board from 1996-2000, served on the Montana Beef Council and as Education Committee chair, and was on the MSGA Foundation Board for 8 years. Other leadership positions include the Phillco Economic Growth Countil Executive Board, Bear Paw Development Executive Board, Phillips Transit Authority Board Chair, State Director for Congressman Greg Gianforte, Montana Board of Dentistry, Joint Powers Trust Board Executive Committee, Montana Assn. of Counties Public Lands Committee Chair, National Assn. of Counties Executive Board Western Region Representative, Nat'l Assn. of Counties Public Lands Committee, and Western Interstate Region Board President.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Southeastern Montana Livestock Assn
Industry Involvement: Lon's grandparents homesteaded near his ranch in 1910 and raised eleven children. His parents began the current operation in 1958, and he helped manage the ranch throughout his life except during college at MSU-Bozeman, where he earned an Agriculture Production degree. He and his wife Vicki returned to the ranch in 1982 and helped grow the ranch roughly six times as large as it was originally. They have a son Thane and daughter Dr. Lynze Franko. Along with their son and daughter-in-law, they run mostly a cow-calf operation consisting of Black Angus-cross cattle. They keep replacement females with some AI and have retained ownership of calves and finish them in custom lots. They also purchase feeders to finish. Lon has 38 years of commodity futures trading experience. Their ranch has been a long-time Fish, Wildlife and Parks Block Management participant. They have implemented an extensive rotational grazing system with numerous proactive conservation methods and were the 2016 State and Region V Environmental Stewardship Award winner. Leadership Service: Lon has served as director of the Southeastern Montana Livestock Assn., served on the Prairie County Weed Board, was a Montana Range Days speaker, an Environmental Stewardship Ranch Tour host, and has been president, secretary and director of the Terry Roping Club. He was a founding steering committee member and chair of the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Intiative, served as representative for several counties on the Big Dry/Powder River Resource Area BLM Management Plan, and was chair of Montana Young Stockgrowers. He is a member of the National Public Lands Council. Lon is current chairman of the Prairie County Land Planning Board, founding member of the Prairie County Predator Board, Past Master and current Secretary of Terry Masonic Lodge #74, and past Elder and current Deacon of Terry Community Presbyterian Church. Challenges facing the beef industry: There is a bottleneck at the beef processing phase of our industry that creates a huge farm to retail spread in prices. We need more ranch-direct sales to consumers as capitalism does not work without competition. I'm a vigorous supporter of the beef check off because continuing investment in product development and promoting the image of beef is extremely necessary for our future. Environmental regulations such as governmental climate change policy may be an opportunity or a complete disaster so we must be wary. The next few years, the biggest challenge for our ranch will be grasshoppers. Email: lonreukauf@gmail.com
Industry Involvement: Monty and his son Wyatt run a commercial Angus herd, branding 300-500 heifers and running 300-500 head of grass cattle. He has been involved with cattle most of his life as a cow/calf and yearling operator, as well as doing backgrounding and finishing. His wife Sherry and other kids Megan, Katie, and Shayla have also been involved over the years. In addition, Monty owns Lesh & Company LLC, a real estate brokerage that handles ranch, farm, commercial and residential properties, and Frontier Consulting LLC that provides financial consulting, marketing and ranch management strategies for ag producers.
Leadership Service: For 21 years Monty was an ag/commercial lender and bank president in Montana and North Dakota. He has served as chair of Holy Rosary Healthcare, chair of the Miles City Housing Authority, Montana History Foundation board member, MSU MAES Advisory Board member, and has been involved in various chambers of commerce and service clubs.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Interim Vice President
Raylee Honeycutt was named Interim Vice President in August 2022.
Raylee joined the MSGA team in August 2020 as the Director of Natural Resources. She also serves as the lead staff member for the Montana Association of State Grazing Districts and the Montana Public Lands Council. In these roles, she focuses on building resource policy on a local, state and national level, as well as providing a strong presence on agricultural issues at the Montana Legislature.
Raylee brings a diverse background in advocacy for the agricultural industry having worked in a variety of roles throughout the country. She originally hails from Ft. Shaw, Mont. and holds a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education with an emphasis in Public Relations from Montana State University. She is also a graduate of the Indiana Ag Leadership Program.
Outside of work, Raylee enjoys traveling and recreating with her husband, Mike, and their two daughters, Isla and McKenna.
Job Titles:
- Customer Service Specialist
- Young Stockgrowers Vice Chair
Rocky serves as a customer service specialist and provides cattle procurement services for Allied Genetic Resources. He is also a sales representative for Superior Livestock. Rocky is the Montana Simmental Association president and serves as vice-chair on MSGA's Cattle Marketing Committee.
Turk Stovall is a fifth generation Montana Rancher. Stovall Ranches LLC is a diversified ranch in Yellowstone and Big Horn counties on the Crow Indian Reservation operating as a cow/calf, hay
production and backgrounding to grass operation. Before returning home to the ranch, Turk held management positions with Certified Angus Beef LLC, North Platte Feeders, Inc and ORIgen, Inc.
Turk currently serves on the Nutrition and Health and Evaluation Committees for the Cattleman's Beef Board. He also served on Yellowstone County Farm Bureau as Young Farmers and Ranchers Chair and Animal Care committees for both MT Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau.
Elected: 2019
Job Titles:
- Young Stockgrowers Chair
- Young Stockgrowers Vice Chair