December 8, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

Holly Martin, director of communications

816-383-5143

hmartin@angus.org

To download the award photo for Phil and Ruth Abrahamson, click here.

Cutline: Phil and Ruth Abrahamson, Lanesboro, Minn., were inducted into the Angus Heritage Foundation at the 2023 Angus Convention in Orlando, Fla. Pictured from left are Kelsey Theis, 2023 Miss American Angus; Phil Abrahamson; Ruth Abrahamson; and Mark McCully, American Angus Association CEO.

To download the award photo for Jerry and Sharon Connealy, click here.

Cutline: Jerry and Sharon Connealy, Whitman, Neb., were inducted into the Angus Heritage Foundation at the 2023 Angus Convention in Orlando, Fla. Pictured from left are Kelsey Theis, 2023 Miss American Angus; Sharon Connealy; Jerry Connealy; and Mark McCully, American Angus Association CEO.

To download the award photo for Ben and Darla Eggers, click here.

Cutline: Ben and Darla Eggers, Mexico, Mo., were inducted into the Angus Heritage Foundation at the 2023 Angus Convention in Orlando, Fla. Pictured from left are Kelsey Theis, 2023 Miss American Angus; Darla Eggers; Ben Eggers; and Mark McCully, American Angus Association CEO.

To download the award photo for the late Doug Parrett, click here.

Cutline: Doug Parrett, Champaign, Ill., was inducted, posthumously, into the Angus Heritage Foundation at the 2023 Angus Convention in Orlando, Fla. Pictured from left are Kelsey Theis, 2023 Miss American Angus; Dan Shike, accepting the award; and Mark McCully, American Angus Association CEO.

Angus Heritage Foundation inducts new honorees

Four inductees join the Angus Heritage Foundation at the 2023 Angus Convention.

To celebrate and honor the contributions of individuals who have gone above and beyond for the Angus Breed, the American Angus Association^® created the Angus Heritage Foundation in 1983. At the 2023 Angus Convention in Orlando, Florida, three couples and one individual were inducted into the Heritage Foundation for their innovation, service and leadership. Over the past 130 years, The Business Breed has proven itself an industry leader. Inductees of the Heritage Foundation define the type of breeders who built this reputation with their drive, ambition and forward-thinking attitudes.

From the start of their operations, these individuals set out on a mission to improve the Angus breed and the cattle industry. Each remained resilient while navigating the ever-changing beef industry and its challenges.

The 2023 inductees include: Phil and Ruth Abrahamson, Lanesboro, Minnesota; Jerry and Sharon Connealy, Whitman, Nebraska; Ben and Darla Eggers, Mexico, Missouri; and the late Doug Parrett, Champaign, Illinois.

Phil and Ruth Abrahamson

In 1849, a young boy named Iver left his Norwegian homeland to seek a better life in America. After enduring a perilous voyage across the Atlantic, he was met with the fertile soils of the midwestern frontier – a fresh start. In 1863, inductee Phillip Abrahamson’s great grandfather started purchasing parcels of land from the Southern Minnesota Railroad, establishing the farm that is known today as Sunnyslope Angus. The fourth caretakers of Sunnyslope, Phil and Ruth have had a 50-year career with many highlights.

In 1960 they joined the Angus Association’s Angus Herd Improvement Record program. They became the first breeders to work with University of Minnesota staff to develop a method for creating genetic advancement of his Angus cattle through scientific measurement rather than on phenotype alone. Following in his footsteps are his daughter, Julie, her husband Keith, and their three children. They help operate 200 cows on 700 acres, striving for continued success of docile, easy-calving animals that grow and grade well.

“We stuck with the Angus breed, we kept on, we persevered, and we still got the Angus cattle today after 125 years on the farm,” Phil said. “I guess my hope is that’s going to be the future.”

Jerry and Sharon Connealy

Jerry and Sharon Connealy met at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. After graduating in 1981, they moved back to manage the family ranch where Jerry was raised, south of Whitman, Nebraska. While Jerry and Sharon’s roles on the ranch have changed and expanded, their commitment to the production of high-quality genetics has been constant. The Connealy family has hosted a bull sale since 1968, and today markets around 1,000 bulls annually through spring and fall sale offerings. Connealy Angus is committed to utilizing the best resources available in all aspects of cattle production and range management.

Dedicated to the betterment of the industry, Connealy Angus hosts numerous tours at the ranch each year and has been a diligent supporter of the Angus Foundation. Jerry recently concluded an eight-year tenure on the Association board of directors, serving as president in 2022. Jerry and Sharon raised four kids, Jed, Ben, Hannah and Gabriel, on the ranch, and today they are sharing their passion with their nine grandchildren.

“We are continually surprised and shocked and humbled by the fact that we’re still here and the fact that we are surrounded by so many good people,” Sharon said.

Ben and Darla Eggers

Ben and Darla Eggers work side by side at Sydenstricker Genetics in Mexico, Missouri. Ben, the operation’s manager, joined the team in 1982. Darla took on her role as office manager in 2010 after serving as executive director of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Foundation for over nine years. Each having grown up showing livestock and active in 4-H, the Eggers share a deep-rooted passion for agriculture, and more specifically, the Angus breed. Sydenstricker Genetics meticulously records performance data, prioritizing cattle which excel in economically important traits and consistently capture Certified Angus Beef premiums. The operation received the Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award in 1997 and was recognized as the 2001 Outstanding Seedstock Producer of the Year by the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF).

Dedicated to the beef industry and their community, the Eggers are active leaders. Darla currently serves on the Angus Foundation’s board of directors and Ben is a past president of both the American Angus Association and BIF. Their commitment to improvement and desire to serve others has built their reputation as respected industry advocates.

“Part of this business is getting there as fast as you can — just as important, never back up,” Ben said.

Doug Parrett

Doug Parrett was technically retired from the University of Illinois, but the emeritus professor never stopped showing up for the agricultural college or the beef industry. He served in many roles during his time at the U of I, including educator, livestock judging coach, Extension specialist, research collaborator and interim department head. Parrett inspired countless undergraduates through his 49-year teaching career, and his teaching talents won him dozens of national and campus awards.

“He was often the first face and first person that our students met,” said Dan Shike, U of I Department of Animal Sciences professor and longtime mentee of Parrett. “Throughout that time, he taught over 8,000 students.”

Parrett’s appointment as a faculty Extension specialist put him on the front lines of the beef production industry, where he worked with producers to ensure optimal health and productivity of Illinois herds and the success of the people who care for them. As a longtime livestock judging coach, Parrett guided hundreds of students who went on to become leaders in the animal production industry.

Above all, Parrett was deeply devoted to his family. In 1979 he married his wife, Susie, with whom he raised two children, John and Annie. He was a proud grandfather to six grandchildren and a mentor to many. He passed away unexpectedly on August 26, 2022. Parrett is remembered as a committed educator, father, husband and friend, whose influence will remain deeply felt for years to come.

To learn more about the Angus Heritage Foundation and those inducted since its inception, visit www.angusawards.com.

– Written by Peyton Schmitt, Angus Communications

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association^® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 22,000 members across the United States, Canada and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by more than 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.

For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.