Ten members declared their candidacies for the American Angus Association Board of Directors by the deadline for publication in the October Angus Journal.

Seeking a second term are Rob Adams, Union Springs, Ala.; Art Butler, Bliss, Idaho; Alan Mead, Barnett, Mo.; Henry Smith, Russell Springs, Ky.; and Roger Wann, Poteau, Okla.

Seeking a first term are Kelly Albrecht, Wapanucka, Okla.; Robert Groom, Lyons, N.Y.; Brooke Miller, Washington, Va.; Brian Palmer, Montgomery, Texas; and Logan Sampson, Ruby Valley, Nev.

The delegates listed will elect five directors; a president and chairman of the Board; and a vice president and vice chairman of the Board during the Association’s 142nd Annual Convention of Delegates, which will convene at 10 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) Sunday, Nov. 2, in Kansas City, Mo. 

Robert “Rob” Adams, Alabama

Rob Adams says it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve on the American Angus Association Board for the last three years. While it’s certainly not easy and members don’t always agree on the process, he fully believes we as an organization are always looking to provide programs, resources and leadership that improve and promote the Angus breed as well as enhance the livelihoods of the families involved. 

Adams has been a lifelong resident of Union Springs, Ala., where his grandfather established their current farm in 1936 and bought the first Angus cattle in 1939. The only time he has lived away from the farm was the four years he spent at Auburn University earning his bachelor’s degree in animal and dairy science. 

Having purchased his first Angus cow at age 8, he has been involved in the day-to-day operation ever since. The farm has transitioned over his lifetime from a diverse cattle and row-crop farm to now only registered Angus cattle (calving about 225 cows and heifers) and timber on the 925-acre farm. They have an annual bull sale the first Saturday in January each year, and they host the Maternal Gems Female Sale the second Saturday in May.

After college Adams returned to the farm full-time for two years, but due the difficulties of the agricultural economy in the late ’70s-’80s, there wasn’t room for two families on the farm at that time. Still living on the farm and working there every day, he chose to enter the world of finance and has been working as a financial advisor for the last 37 years. Now co-owning his own firm, Legacy Advisors, Inc., he works with small businesses and individuals in financial planning and investment management.

It’s Adams’ hope that he can continue to use his experience on and off the farm to help give back to the American Angus Association through serving on the Board. He says the Angus world has given him so much to him over a lifetime, that he wants to give back some of his time and experience to an organization that has given so much to him. 

Adams is married to his wife of 31 years, Connie, and they have four children. The kids grew up active in the Alabama junior Angus program and showed at many local shows, but also attended five National Junior Angus Shows and one Eastern Regional show.  

Their oldest son, Daniel, and his wife, Jessie, live on the farm now, and Daniel works full-time as the farm’s operations manager. Their next son, Joseph, is an electrical engineer in Huntsville. Their twin daughters, Aspen and Layton, recently graduated college and are beginning careers in accounting and nursing.

After college he served as executive secretary for the Alabama Angus Association for three years, and then served as president in 1998. He went on to serve on the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) board and as president in 2001. Later he was a founding board member of the BCIA Foundation and served as president 2016-2020. He has served on the local county cattlemen’s association and Farmers Federation boards for many years. He has also served as a deacon at his church for many years and as deacon chairman for multiple terms as well as church trustee.

Adams says after the last three years serving on the Board and learning much more about the Association and how it functions, it would be a great honor to have the opportunity to continue serving on the American Angus Association Board of Directors. Therefore, he humbly asks for your consideration when you choose to vote for the next set of board members.

Kelly Albrecht, Oklahoma

Kelly Albrecht is a lifelong cattleman whose journey from the high desert of southern Utah to the rolling pastures of southeastern Oklahoma embodies the grit and commitment it takes to succeed in American agriculture. Raised on a ranch managing cattle across 40 square miles of Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land, Albrecht learned from a young age what it means to care for livestock in rugged, remote conditions. Cattle were trailed 70 miles between winter and summer grazing permits, instilling in him a deep respect for hard work, land stewardship and animal husbandry. From those formative experiences, a passion was born — one that has guided him every step of the way.

Albrecht pursued his education at Southern Utah University (SUU), while he worked at the Cedar City Livestock Market and order-bought cattle while also rodeoing for the SUU rodeo team. He was FFA president in high school and active in Block and Bridle in college, showing a lifelong dedication to leadership and the livestock industry. He bought his first registered Angus cattle in 1992 with the goal of building a herd that could thrive in tough conditions. Fertility, muscle, structural soundness and efficiency became his guiding principles. He emphasized pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) testing and developed cattle that could withstand elevations of up to 10,000 feet during summer grazing on the Fish Lake Forest — balancing performance with resilience.

In 2003 Albrecht and his wife, Laura, made a bold move. They sold out in Utah and purchased a ranch in Wapanucka, Okla., where they built Albrecht Ranch Angus from the ground up. With their children, Halee, Carlee and Jarrett, they operate a 400-head Angus program that includes both registered and commercial cattle. Albrecht’s commitment to the Angus breed runs deep. From the first Angus heifer gifted to him by his father at the age of 5 to becoming a trusted name in registered Angus sales, he has always held a strong belief in the power of genetics, integrity and hard work.

Albrecht now partners with Jeff Penz of Penz Angus to host the annual Presidents Day Angus Sale, one of Oklahoma’s largest Angus events, selling more than 400 bulls and females each year. His dedication to breeding excellence and operational efficiency has made him a trusted source of high-quality Angus genetics throughout the region. But more than numbers and genetics, Albrecht brings heart to everything he does. He values transparency, open communication, and the ability to listen with humility and lead with common sense.

As a candidate for the American Angus Association Board of Directors, Albrecht offers a voice that understands the challenges producers face and the legacy they strive to uphold. He is a patriot, a family man and a steward of Angus values. Albrecht believes in God, country, and family — and if given the opportunity to serve, he will represent members with honesty, passion and a steadfast commitment to building a stronger future for the Angus breed.

Art Butler, Idaho

Art Butler’s dedication to the production of Angus cattle is grounded in a multigenerational commitment to the breed. He is the third generation of Butlers to raise registered Angus cattle at Spring Cove Ranch in Bliss, Idaho. His children and their children are 4th- and 5th-generation members of the American Angus Association. Spring Cove Ranch was settled in 1912 by his grandfather A.H. Butler, who chose to make his desert homestead around a natural spring in northwestern Gooding County. The pioneer Butlers purchased their first Angus cattle in 1919, and Angus cattle and Butlers have roamed the ranges of Spring Cove Ranch continuously for 106 years.

Butler was born, raised and educated on the family ranch near Bliss. He attended the University of Idaho where he earned a degree in animal science in 1978, was a member of the Farmhouse Fraternity, Block & Bridle Club and was on the Livestock Meat Animal Evaluation Team. He participated in livestock 4-H as a member and later as a leader for more than 20 years, and was inducted into the Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame in 2011. He served on the Gooding County 4-H & FFA Market Animal Sale Committee and was beef superintendent at the county fair for more than a decade.

After college graduation in 1978, Art returned to Spring Cove Ranch to continue the family tradition of raising registered and commercial Angus cows and kids. He and his wife, Stacy; son, Josh; and daughter, Sarah, manage the 350-head cow herd, producing cattle for ranchers running in tough, Western environments that have favorable end-product merit. Spring Cove Ranch hosts a spring bull sale and a fall female sale.

Butler carries on his family tradition of incorporating all available technology and production tools to enhance the Spring Cove cattle performance, genetics and management. Artificial insemination (AI) was first used on the ranch in the early ’50s with fresh semen delivered by bus. Art enrolled the herd in the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) program in 1972 and began using embryo transfer (ET) in 1991. He also used the Structured Carcass Evaluation program to prove many of the Spring Cove herd sires, incorporated ultrasound scans for carcass traits and since 2015, every calf born at Spring Cove Ranch is parent-verified through DNA and tested for genomic traits.

Butler has been committed to developing markets for Angus feeder calves and has encouraged many of the Spring Cove Ranch bull customers to enroll in AngusSource, now AngusLinkSM, and to use of Genetic Merit Scorecards^SM (GMS) in feeder cattle. He is a rep for Western Video Market and prioritizes helping his bull customers market their high-quality Angus feeder calves.

Butler has served as a past president of the Idaho Angus Association and on the Idaho Cattle Association Board of Directors. Art and Stacy were the recipients of the 2019 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Seedstock Commitment to Excellence Award. Spring Cove Ranch and the Art Butler family received the Century Herd Award from the American Angus Association in 2019.

Since elected to the American Angus Association Board in 2022, Art has served on the Beef Improvement Committee, PR Communications Committee, Member Services Committee and all three years on the Commercial Programs Committee. He also served on the Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) Board and is currently on the Angus Productions Inc. (API) Board.

Art brings a lot of history, experience and commercial perspective to the beef industry and to the Angus breed. He would love to continue to serve Association members as director with a Western producer perspective.

Robert Groom, New York

Robert B. Groom has been unanimously endorsed by the board of the New York Angus Association as a candidate for election to the Board of Directors of the American Angus Association. 

Groom was born on a dairy farm in Cheshire, England. He graduated from High School in 1984 at the age of 16. A year later he and his family moved to the 360-acre diversified stock farm of East Tullyfergus, Perthshire, Scotland.

He established the Tullyfergus Aberdeen-Angus Herd in 1987. As a first-generation breeder, the herd was built slowly as he studied the breed and its history. Funds to expand the herd were earned by operating a contract sheep-shearing business in June and July where several people were hired to help him shear 30,000 ewes.

In 1989 he undertook a three-month study tour of the Angus breed in the United States, living and working with families raising Angus cattle in many different areas of the country.

Robert married Linda in August 1993 and rented the nearby farm of Balwhyme, which was used entirely for the production of registered Angus and malting barley. A herd of commercial Angus cows was used as recipients for embryos from their American donor cow and to promote the maternal and performance characteristics of the Angus breed to other producers.

In the United Kingdom (U.K.), Robert was appointed to the technical committee of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society (A-ACS) in 1996. During the time he served, this committee was primarily concerned with DNA parentage testing and estimated breeding values (EBVs). In 1997 he was elected to Council of the A-ACS. He served on Council for two years prior to coming to the United States in the fall of 1998. The Tullyfergus herd was dispersed in September 1998 and set a U.K. record for a registered Angus calf.

Since coming to the United States to pursue their “American dream” in October 1998, Robert and Linda have reestablished the Tullyfergus Angus Herd near Lyons, N.Y. A 75-cow registered operation, producing bulls for commercial and registered cow-calf producers, show heifers and steers. In addition, they manage a 70-cow commercial herd that produces top-quality steer calves and replacement females, recipients for embryos and club-calf prospects. Bulls and females are sold by private treaty across the northeast. They make more than 600 acres of dry hay each summer for feed for the two herds and to sell. A small amount of cash cropping and custom round baling is also undertaken.

Groom is an active member of the New York Angus Association (NYAA) and the New York Beef Producers Association (NYBPA), having served as president, vice president and secretary/treasurer. He is currently a director and co-junior advisor. He served as chairman and vice chairman of the western region of the NYBPA. In 2007 he was awarded the “Beef Promoter of the Year” award by the NYBPA and NY Beef Industry Council. The following year NYBPA presented him their highest award, “Cattleman of the Year.” In addition, he has organized numerous promotional and educational events for both the NYAA and NYBPA to further the positive message about Angus genetics and beef consumption. He was selected to participate in the Beef Leaders Institute (BLI) program in 2009.

Linda is a research associate at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and they have three grown children: Oliver (28), Charlotte (24) and Evie (19). After three years of legal work status, they decided in September 2001 to start the process to attain legal permanent residence in the USA (a green card). It was granted in April of 2008. After five more required years of residency, Robert and Linda both became citizens in 2014 (their daughters are natural-born U.S. citizens).

All their children have shown cattle at local fairs and state fair. While the older two have moved on to pursue other interests, Evie continues to be an enthusiastic showman and undertakes all the halter-breaking and show cattle management. Gemma Macdonald, an intern from Scotland in 2015 and 2016, has reestablished the Tullyfergus herd in the U.K. using genetics exported from the herd in New York. 

Groom was elected to the Lyons Central School Board of Education and served five years, including one as president. He was reelected to the board of the United States Cattlemen’s Association in 2024 as director for Region 15.

Those who know Groom appreciate his energy, enthusiasm and common sense. He has proven himself as a critical thinker and problem solver. He is a great student of breed history and pedigree.

Robert humbly asks for your consideration and support in electing him to the Board. 

Alan Mead, Missouri

Alan Mead declared his candidacy for a second term for the American Angus Association Board of Directors with encouragement from fellow members and a desire to give back to the Association that has given so much to him and his family.

Mead currently serves on the 2024-2025 Finance & Planning and Communications & PR committees and the Angus Foundation Board for the American Angus Association. Mead previously served as chairman, Angus Foundation Board.

Mead is a third-generation Angus breeder from Barnett, Mo., and has been involved in all phases of cattle business his entire life. His experience spans from fence building, forage production and showing cattle in 4-H and the junior Angus program, to now currently having three production sales annually, marketing close to 700 bulls per year.

Working for his grandfather and parents on their family farms until leaving to attend college, Mead’s drive and determination was thoroughly instilled. After completing his undergraduate degree, medical school and his residency, Mead returned to the area in 1994 as a board-certified anesthesiologist practitioner, servicing his local community while harboring a new vision for Mead Farms.

Beginning with approximately 20 cows, Mead persevered to reach his production goal to be a performance-oriented herd focusing on the needs of commercial cattlemen. Since that time, Mead Farms has been one of the leading Pathfinder® herds both in Missouri and nationally. In 2025 Mead Farms has 65 Pathfinder dams, which is the 2nd-highest number in the nation. The Mead family takes great pride in this accomplishment, as the Pathfinder program fits the basic philosophy of Mead Farms.

Under Mead’s leadership, the farm has grown to more than 7,000 acres and close to 1,500 registered Angus cows in addition to Charolais, Hereford and Red Angus cattle. Mead Farms is dedicated to the profitability of its customers and focuses on fertility, feet, udder structure, performance, and cattle that meet and exceed CAB requirements. The farm employs an intensive AI and ET program.

Mead has two daughters who are actively working as the fourth generation of Mead Farms. Juliette and Annaliese enjoy showing at the local, state and national level in 4-H, FFA and the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA). Additionally, they assist with daily operations and play a large role in the Mead Farms annual production sales. Juliette received her American Farmer Degree in 2021 and is past president of the Missouri Junior Angus Association. She received her RN degree and is currently working at Boone Hospital in the cardiac ICU. Annaliese continues to take on additional roles within the farm and is attending the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in animal science.

Appreciating the experiences others have offered him, Mead puts a strong emphasis on giving back to his community. Mead served on the Missouri Angus Association board of directors from 2010-2017, including a term as president. Mead is a member of the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association, the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). He has also served on the local YMCA board of directors and the local hospital board of directors for the past 10 years and is currently vice president of the board. Additionally, he serves on the Finance/Audit Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee of his local hospital board of directors. Mead has also served the hospital as chairman of the Credentials Committee and serves on the Medical Executive Committee. He has been chairman of the anesthesiology department for the last 30 years.

Mead would welcome the opportunity to help direct the many outstanding programs and services of the American Angus Association offered to registered and commercial cattlemen across the country. Through his own involvement as well as that of his daughters in the junior program, Mead has gained a strong appreciation on the importance of preparing our next generation of Angus breeders through progressive programming that will keep Angus on the forefront. Mead’s life, work and volunteer experiences have a strong track record of gathering information and making informed decisions, as well as approaching problems with an open mind to allow for successful outcomes.

Alan Mead says he would be humbled if given the opportunity to serve as a proactive member on the Board of Directors of the American Angus Association for a second term. Mead is unanimously endorsed in his candidacy for the American Angus Association Board of Directors by the Missouri Angus Association board of directors.

Brooke Miller, Virginia

Brooke Miller announces his candidacy to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Angus Association, bringing a unique combination of generational Angus breeding experience, proven leadership, and unwavering commitment to member interests.

Miller is a third-generation Angus breeder from Washington, Va. He and his wife, Ann, assumed principal ownership of Ginger Hill Angus upon his father’s retirement in 1999. Established in 1959 by his father, Newbill Miller, and grandfather DD Miller, Ginger Hill Angus now spans nearly seven decades and five generations of the Miller family raising cattle in Rappahannock County, Virginia.

Angus cattle and Ginger Hill have been central to Miller’s entire life, shaping his decisions and guiding his passion for breed excellence. This deep, personal investment in Angus genetics gives him an intimate understanding of the challenges facing today’s breeders.

Miller’s commitment to excellence extends beyond the pasture. He graduated salutatorian of Rappahannock County High School in 1978; then attended Virginia Tech, and graduated magna cum laude in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. While at Virginia Tech, he was a member of the national championship beef cattle judging team and achieved high individual ranking in oral reasons.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1986, where he met and married his wife, Ann Holmes Miller. In 1989 he completed his residency in family medicine at Chippenham Hospital/Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.

Miller is a board-certified family physician with 39 years of medical practice spanning emergency and family medicine. He and his wife currently own and operate Miller Family Health & Wellness PLLC, focusing on primary care with an emphasis on reversing chronic disease and wellness promotion.

As a founding member and immediate past president of the United States Cattlemen’s Association, Miller has dedicated more than a decade to restoring profitability and viability for both Angus breeders and the commercial cow-calf operations they serve. His leadership experience demonstrates his ability to unite diverse groups around common goals and navigate complex industry challenges.

Miller currently serves as a senior fellow of the Independent Medical Alliance and as a board member of the American Conservative Union Foundation, showcasing his commitment to principled leadership across multiple sectors.

Miller recognizes the critical challenges facing American agriculture today. He is deeply concerned about the loss of family farms and ranches that has resulted in the smallest national cow herd since 1948. He believes the American Angus Association must return to its foundational mission of serving its membership while promoting breed integrity and improvement.

His vision centers on restoring the Association as a true membership organization that prioritizes breeder interests over bureaucratic expansion. Miller advocates for transparency, accountability, and governance that remembers the Association exists to serve its members, not the reverse.

Miller and his wife, Ann, are people of faith who approach their responsibilities with integrity and moral clarity. After careful consideration, prayer and family discussion, Miller decided to seek election to the Board of Directors to help restore member confidence and refocus the Association on its core mission.

Miller pledges to work diligently to unite the membership through transparency, honesty and unwavering commitment to representing member interests. He believes the strength and character that built the Angus breed must be reflected in its governance.

Miller’s candidacy represents a choice between continued bureaucratic drift and a return to member-centered leadership. His combination of generational Angus experience, proven leadership skills, scientific knowledge and commitment to principled governance positions him to help restore the American Angus Association to its rightful place as the premier breed organization that serves its members’ interests.

Logan Sampson, Nevada

Logan Sampson is a fourth-generation rancher operating in the high desert of Northeastern Nevada. He manages approximately 550 commercial cows and 200 registered Angus cows in partnership with his father, Mark Sampson, and business partner, Aaron Tenney. He is the owner of Birch Creek Angus, which markets around 75 Angus bulls and 250 commercial bred heifers primarily through their annual production sale. Sampson also serves as vice president of his family’s operation, J Bar M Ranching Co., located in Ruby Valley, Nev. 

Sampson began his studies at Utah State University in 2002, where he met his wife, Adriane. They married in 2004 and are proud parents of three children. In the winter of 2005, Sampson returned home to the ranch following his mother’s serious horse accident and his father’s cancer diagnosis. Since then, he has remained committed to the family operation. Adriane completed her degrees in special education and elementary education and now teaches kindergarten through 8th grade in a one-room schoolhouse. Their oldest daughter will begin studying rangeland ecology management at Utah State University this fall, while their younger children — one a sophomore and the other in seventh grade — are actively involved in the daily operations of the ranch.

Sampson is deeply committed to public service. He serves as chief of the Ruby Valley Volunteer Fire Department, a role he’s held since 2008; and became a nationally licensed EMT in 2013. He has chaired the Elko County Chiefs Association, contributed to fire district committees and helped transition local fire services from state to county control. He also served on the board of the Ruby Valley Conservation District. As a rancher liaison, Sampson works with land agencies and private industries across Northern Nevada, bridging rural and industrial interests to promote responsible planning and protect working lands, water and emergency access. He also coaches youth sports, officiates high school basketball and serves in leadership roles within his local church.

Agriculture has always been the lifeblood of Logan’s passion. Though his parents had to leave the family ranch early in their marriage, Logan remained close to the land, often returning to Nevada and Utah to work with relatives. Time spent living in Australia and Mexico, where he learned Spanish, broadened his perspective and deepened his appreciation for agricultural diversity. 

When the chance to return to Nevada came in 2000, Logan and his parents embraced it. Starting with a herd of 150 Simmental-influenced cattle, they quickly pivoted to focus on Angus genetics and grew the herd to more than 300 head. In 2016 Sampson founded Birch Creek Angus, beginning with one Angus heifer. Since then he has pursued advanced training in AI and ET. Today, the registered operation includes 200 Angus cows and an additional 250 recipient cows dedicated to seedstock development. Driven by the belief that the customer is the cornerstone of his business, Sampson offers an unmatched, forward-thinking four-year guarantee on his bulls — setting a new standard in the industry.

Sampson believes that despite differences in environment, herd size, feed resources, breeding philosophy and business goals, success in agriculture unites us. He supports an Angus association that values diversity and creates tools that empower all producers. Sampson brings a commonsense, grassroots approach to genetic progress. He is committed to fostering unity within the breed and championing a future defined by transparency and accountability. He believes the strength of the Association lies in the success of its members and is dedicated to ensuring every voice has a seat at the table. Logan is deeply rooted in three things: faith, family and Angus cattle.

Henry Bryan Smith, Kentucky

Henry B. Smith, current member of the American Angus Association Board of Directors, announces his candidacy for reelection to the Board for a second term of service. Smith is currently on the Events and Activities Committee, Member Services Committee and the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Board of Directors. He has also served as the vice chair of the Member Services committee and on the Angus Foundation committee. 

The Kentucky Angus Association (KAA) unanimously supports and endorses Smith for his second term on the American Angus Association Board of Directors. 

Smith is a fourth-generation Angus breeder who grew up on a diversified family farming operation in south-central Kenucky. The farming operation consisted of a registered Angus herd, burley tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat for feed and cash market. The Smith family settled and began farming in the Fonthill community in 1810. Smith’s great-grandfather and his sons began the registered Angus seedstock operation in 1940, and it continues today with Smith raising the fifth generation invested in the Angus industry. 

Growing up, Smith was active in 4-H, FFA, the Kentucky Junior Angus Association (KJAA) and the NJAA exhibiting Angus cattle. He graduated from Russell County High School and furthered his education in agriculture and animal science at Western Kentucky University. He purchased his own farmland at the age of 18 and began growing his own Angus herd. For 33 years, he has successfully operated Smithland Angus Farm with his late father, Charles “Bud” Smith. Smithland Angus recently hosted their 29th annual bull and female sale, offering both purebred breeders along with commercial breeders an opportunity to enhance their Angus genetics. 

Smith currently owns and manages 275 registered angus cows and has a commercial herd for recips. He has improved their Angus herd through Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®), AI, ET, ultrasound and genomic information.

Smith has taken a leadership role in several local, regional and state organizations. He has served on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) board, County Agricultural Improvement Program (CAIP) board and is a past president of the Russell County Cattlemen’s Association for several years. Smith is the past president of the KAA and Central Kentucky Angus Association and served on the NJAA executive committee in 2019. 
Smith and his wife, Melissa, are currently serving as the chairmen of the 2026 National Junior Angus Show to be hosted in Louisville, Ky. Smith was selected by the Angus Foundation to be the 2019 Young Cattlemen’s Conference recipient. He remains an active member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Since 1996, for the past 29 years, Smith has been selected as a voting delegate at the American Angus Association Convention of Delegates. 

Smith has been recognized by KAA for Performance Breeder, Herdsman of the Year, and Family of the Year. Henry serves on the board of directors for Russell County Farm Bureau, First Bancorp, Inc. and First National Bank. Smith serves on the security team at First Baptist Church in Russell Springs. With his involvement in both small and large organizations, Henry understands the struggles of the small and large farm operations along with budgeting and financial constraints. 

Smith married his wife, Melissa, in 1997. They have two children, Bryanna, 20, and Blane, 17. Bryanna is currently serving on the NJAA Board of Directors as secretary. She is a junior at the University of Kentucky, dual majoring in agricultural economics and business; with three minors in marketing, meat science and agricultural education. Blane is a senior at Russell County High School and successful on the bass fishing team. Blane is currently serving on the board of directors for the Kentucky Junior Angus Association as treasurer and is the treasurer of the Russell County FFA Chapter. Bryanna and Blane were named as the 2024 Kentucky Angus Association Herdsmen of the Year. 

Smith and his family are very active in showing their Angus cattle on a local, regional, state, and national level with emphasis placed on leadership opportunities like Leaders Engaged in Angus Development and Raising the Bar. He spends countless hours making an impression; teaching values of the family farm, hard work and dedication, to instill the love and passion of agriculture and the Angus breed into his children.     

Smith believes in the power of the Angus cow to continue to be the foundation of the beef industry for both the producer and consumer worldwide. Smith is committed to the advancement of this great breed, believes in constantly looking for better ways to describe Angus genetics through science and technology, and advocates for the importance of continuing to provide programs and opportunities for the American Angus Association membership to be successful. Smith has spent his entire life, hands-on, raising and promoting Angus cattle, along with serving agricultural organizations. 

Smith’s livelihood depends entirely on his Angus cattle and farming operation. Henry is patient, willing to listen, and has a commonsense approach in his thinking. He will always keep the best interests of the membership, both small and large, in mind while striving to be very informed before making decisions. He says it would be a great honor to continue serving the Angus membership on the American Angus Association Board of Directors for a second term and humbly asks for your support. 

Roger Wann, Oklahoma

Roger Wann is a native of Poteau, Okla., and was raised on a multigenerational family commercial cow-calf ranch. The early breed makeup of the family ranch did not include Angus. After the purchase of a dozen commercial Angus cows from a family relative and the addition of an Angus bull from Belle Point Ranch in Lavaca, Ark., the benefits of Angus genetics became clear, and a direction was set. 

While a student at Oklahoma State University (OSU), Wann was an employee at Oklahoma Beef Inc. (OBI), a multibreed central test facility. Charles McPeake oversaw OBI at the time. The performance and marketability of the Angus bulls impressed Roger a great deal. Later he was a student worker at the OSU Purebred Beef Center under Bob Kropp. The value of the Angus cow herd at OSU was the last step in a learning curve that would lead him and his family into the Angus seedstock business. After completing a bachelor’s degree in animal science at OSU, Wann earned a master’s in physiology of reproduction from Texas A&M (TAMU) under Ron Randel. 

Upon realizing that continuing to pursue a career in academics could lead him farther away from a cow than he wanted, Wann left TAMU to begin a career with ABS Global in 1988. His interests and focus for the next 36 years were to assist and teach cattle producers the value of efficient reproductive management programs. 

Wann has worked extensively to continue the focus in efficient reproduction across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, with additional duties from 2003 to 2008 in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. A high point in Wann’s career was earning the lifetime service award from the Beef Reproduction Task Force at their 2023 annual convention in Sheridan, Wyo. This industry award recognized his long-term dedication to helping others be successful in the industry. Wann retired from his career in the AI industry to spend more time with the family ranch and his current board duties. 

Roger; his brother, Danny; and their dad, Jim, began the process of converting the family commercial ranch to an Angus seedstock operation in 1989. They hosted their first production sale in 2003, and this past spring marked their 23rd annual production sale. Wann Ranch currently ranks No. 8 in the state of Oklahoma for registrations and markets 150 to 175 bulls annually. Roger and Danny are very hands-on with the operation of the family ranch. They are responsible for all the AI, forage management, herd health, data submission, calf registrations and management of their production sale. 

Wann Ranch received the Oklahoma Beef Council’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Ranch of the Year award in 2014. Wann currently serves as the Southeast District vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA). He also served six years on the production policy committee for OCA. He was instrumental in leading discussions concerning new policy as well as the decision to renew or amend expiring policy. 

Wann also just completed a term as president of the Oklahoma Angus Association. He, along with Angus regional manager, Jeff Mafi, and fellow Angus breeder, Mark Sexton, have been instrumental in the development of the Oklahoma Angus-sponsored Angus feeder-calf sale. This premier event has been hosted at Oklahoma National Stockyards and has successfully showcased the value of Angus genetics with emphasis being placed on the additional value of AngusLink verification. 

Wann has served on both the CAB Board as well as the Angus Media Board during his first term on the Board of Directors. He has also served on the Communications and Commercial Programs committees. His work on commercial programs with the focus of adding all value possible to Angus feeder calves has been his favorite accomplishment.  

The primary reason for Roger’s American Angus Association Board candidacy is to provide blue-collar, grassroots viewpoints concerning all issues, with the goal of keeping the Angus breed at the forefront of the industry.