Beef Board

Tom is responsible for management of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, including the CBB staff duties and relations, as well as communications and coordination with Beef Board members, State Beef Councils, checkoff contracting organizations, and USDA. Prior to becoming CEO in May 2007, Tom served as CFO for the Beef Board for about 13 years, where he was responsible for all accounting and financial functions of the Board. Prior to his work for CBB, Ramey was an audit manager with a major accounting firm and was director of operations and director of worldwide internal audit for an international software company. Tom and his wife Cathy have two children, Matt, 19, and Lauren, 16.

Chad's responsibilities include working with state beef councils on collections compliance efforts, including conducting collection point audits and helping maintain and improve the Beef Board's collections compliance programs. Prior to joining CBB, Chad worked for Optibrand Ltd., LLC in Fort Collins, Colo., for five years, providing training and support to customers in the livestock identification and traceability field. He was raised on a cow-calf operation in Filer, Idaho, and received his Bachelor's degree in animal science with a minor in agriculture economics from the University of Idaho. Chad also earned a Master's degree in animal science from Colorado State University. Chad and his wife, Rebecca, have three sons - Titus, 5; Silas, 3; and Josiah, 1.

Courtney Kalous (pronounced "klouse", rhymes with house) joined the Beef Board staff in December 2008, after five years at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, where she served as director of member services. At the Beef Board, Courtney works with state beef councils and collection points as a resource to help in all areas of checkoff compliance and interactions with CBB. She is an alumnus of Colorado State University, where she graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in agriculture business and a minor in economics. Courtney hails from western Colorado, where her family raises alfalfa, corn, wheat and barley, and owns and operates a backgrounding feedlot, a trucking company, and a small cow-calf herd. She lives in Centennial, Colorado, with her husband, Tod, who is an analyst for Cattle-Fax, and they are expecting their first child in August. Her hobbies include helping her family and inlaws with farming and cattle production.

Lucinda Williams is married to a 12th-generation dairy producer and farmer in Hatfield, Mass., on her 220-acre family owned farm, which dates back to 1661. She and her husband, Darryl, have four children. She has been active in the dairy and beef industry in Massachusetts and the Northeast, as well, in organizations including Agri-Mark, for which she served as YC president in 2002-03; Farm Bureau; Genex; and Farm Credit. Williams is also very active in her church, the local school district, and PEO, a women's educational organization.

Austin Brown III was born and raised on his family's ranch in Bee County, Texas and has worked in ranching all his life. Brown Ranches has been in operation since 1924 and is where the family raises registered Hereford and F1 tigerstripe cattle, running approximately 600 cows. Austin holds a degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M and has been active with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Dan Dierschke is a fifth-generation Texas ag producer. He and his wife, Marilynn, produce beef near Austin, Texas. He is a past chairman of the Texas Beef Council; former Texas Farm Bureau State Director; and a member of the board for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, for which he previously served on the Executive Committee. Other organizations on which he continues to serve include the Technical Subcommittee on Farm Land Preservation for USDA's National Resources Conservation Service (Texas); as an appointee of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products; as an appointee of the Texas governor to the Texas Farm & Ranch Lands Conservation Council; and as an appointee of the Texas Comptroller to the Property Value Study Technical Advisory Committee.

Ed Blair is a third-generation western South Dakota rancher, in partnership with his brother, Richard, and ranches with his wife, Wanda, and their son, daughter, son-in-law and grandson. He is an active member of his county and state Farm Bureau organization, and has held leadership positions there and with numerous beef organizations. Ed and his wife have been 4-H leaders for 27 years. He has also been a director of the Western Junior Livestock Show for 27 years and is a past president of the Board.

Jerry Bohn is general manager of Pratt Feeders LLC and a past president of the Kansas Livestock Association. He has also served as a director for the National Cattlemen?s Beef Association and on the Board of U.S. Premium Beef. Jerry earned his degree in animal science at Kansas State University and is a past chairman and member of the Kansas Animal Health Board. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve/Army National Guard, and has been very active in his local community.

Joyce is the co-owner/operator of Bupplynn Farms with 200 head of milking registered Holsteins, 75 dairy steers and 750 acres, owned and rented, cropped in corn, aflalfa, soybeans, small grains and grass hay. She is a director for the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Board and director for the Middle Atlantic Dairy Association, the regional dairy promotion board. She is also a corporate director for Dairy Farmers of America. She and her husband have two children and four grandchildren.

Kim is a cow-calf/stocker from Castleford, Idaho. She has been an active member with the Idaho Beef Council, serving as chair, vice chair and treasurer; Idaho Cattle Association, serving as committee and sub-committee chair; and the 71 Livestock Association.

Robert Bruner has a registered Angus and commercial cattle operation in Huntsville, in addition to serving as managing partner of two gasoline distributorships, partner/manager of two multi-unit apartment complexes, and as a real-estate developer. He is active in the American and Texas Angus associations, the Region H Texas Water Development Board, and the Texas A&M Center for Grazing Lands and Ranch Management, and is past president of the Beef Development Center of Texas and the Texas Forages Grass Council. Robert is also an agriculture advisor at Sam Houston State University.

Tom Jones is a third-generation farmer and rancher in Pottsville, Ark., where he runs a beef cattle operation with his wife, Jayne. He holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural business from Arkansas Tech University. Tom has also served as a board member for the Arkansas Farm Bureau and as a Making American Agriculture Productive and Profitable (MAAPP) Committee member for the American Farm Bureau.