As owner of Slate Group, a national printing company based in Lubbock, Texas, Denny built a reputation for excellence by helping Angus breeders put their best foot forward, especially on sale day. From his early days behind the wheel of a delivery truck to now leading a 140-person team, Denny’s story reflects relationship building, integrity and a passion for helping others succeed.

“What my younger 23-year-old self would tell this old 56-year-old today would be, ‘Wow, you have come a long way,’” Denny says. “I never imagined when I started at 23 years old that one day I would be here. But I have always believed if you do the right thing, treat people with respect and keep your word, good things will come.”

Denny started with Slate Group in 1993 as a delivery driver and worked his way through all departments at the printing company, from bindery to sales.

Under his leadership, Slate Group became the trusted printing partner for hundreds of Angus breeders and the Association. Whether printing 80 different sale books in a month or hand-delivering a last-minute fix, Denny and his team go above and beyond to ensure every detail is right.

A family affair

The Denny family’s Angus experience began with a show heifer named Maggie and soon grew into a family passion. Don, his wife, Wendy, and their son, Dylan, dove headfirst into the Angus breed — raising cattle, showing across the country and building lifelong friendships.

Dylan would go on to serve on the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) Board of Directors. 

In 2022, the Denny family hosted the largest Raising the Bar Conference to date, welcoming NJAA members to Lubbock for a hands-on experience in print production. The event offered juniors a behind-the-scenes look at marketing opportunities and daily business operations while encouraging them to think creatively.

“Angus is a close-knit family,” Denny says. “We have met many breeders from throughout the country, from show to show, and just became friends with people across the industry.”

Angus is a close-knit family. We have met many breeders from throughout the country, from show to show, and just became friends with people across the industry.” — Don Denny

He continues, “They would ask me, ‘What do you do?’ and I would tell them that I print [sale books]. They would ask, ‘Oh, can you help us out?’ Of course, I said I would love to help them.”

What began as conversations around the barns at shows has since evolved into a thriving sector of Slate Group’s business portfolio.

“When I got my first [sale book] job from the Association, I said, ‘We’ve made it big time,’” Denny says. “We finally did it. I knew if we kept going, doing the right thing and making deadlines, then the rest would be history.”

Today, Slate Group works with Angus breeders and cattlemen alike and has done so for around 14 years, sending the company on a trajectory of sales growth.

“For us, Angus is family,” Denny says. “We have traveled up and down the road together, met incredible people and made lifelong friends. At the end of the day, family and relationships are what it is all about.”

Linking Print and People

From the Association’s annual reports to breeder sale books, Denny’s fingerprints appear throughout each project. But his personal touch sets him apart. Creatives often receive photos or videos from Denny as their projects roll off the press.

“We help breeders promote their cattle and get their sale books to mailboxes on time. We are close to the final link in the chain,” Denny says. “Breeders are already planning for their next sale and even the sale after that; and here I get a [sale book] and turn it in four or five days, so you are planning this thing for years before I ever see it.”

Denny explains Slate Group represents a small link in the chain of marketing breeders’ cattle, a link that follows nearly two years of planning, breeding, feeding and managing livestock to reach sale day.

“That is the part of the chain that fascinates me. We are so lucky to be a little part of this industry. Being a small piece of the chain and not breaking that link is the most important thing for Slate Group.”

Denny’s approach to business is simple: do the right thing. That philosophy earned Slate Group a trusted presence in marketing Angus cattle. From printing innovative marketing materials to producing award-winning annual reports for the Association, the company’s creative print solutions help elevate Angus breeders’ marketing and create meaningful touchpoints for members. Denny’s responsiveness and integrity — whether answering emails or hand-delivering reprints overnight — reflect his unwavering dedication to the breed. His approach made Slate Group synonymous with trust and reliability.

“At the end of the day, you only have your integrity once,” he says. “If something is wrong, make it right. If you say you will do it, do it. That is the only way I know how to do business.”

Success measured in people

What began as a print shop with eight employees grew into a national business printing more than 1,200 sale books annually. 

Still, for Denny, success is measured not in numbers but rather in the people behind the project.

“When a breeder calls to say, ‘You did it again,’ that’s what makes me proud,” Denny said.

For Denny, being an Angus Ambassador means more than printing sale books; it represents building relationships and helping Angus breeders succeed. His influence shows in every printed piece, every timely delivery and every moment he helps bring a vision to life.

“I’m humbled and honored to receive this award,” Denny says. “The Angus breed has given so much to me and my family. It has been a great ride, and there are many, many more years to come. Thank you all for your support. I am very humbled.”