New BBU Board of Directors Elected

BOERNE, Texas (Oct. 29, 2020) – Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) voting delegates elected Ty Agee, Memphis, Tenn.; Cindy Emmons, Fairfield, Texas; Lorenzo Lasater, San Angelo, Texas and Kito Saenz, San Isidro, Texas, to serve on the Board of Directors. Each candidate will serve four-year terms on the 18-member Board.

Larry Meacham, Houston, Texas, was elected the 2021 BBU President and Derek Thompson, Paxico, Kan., was elected vice president. Each will serve a two-year term. Completing their terms on the BBU Board were retiring president Robert C. Siddons, Tilden, Texas, and directors Dr. Jim Colvin, Seguin, Texas; Larry Lairmore, Foreman, Ark.; Sue Pierson, Vacaville, Cali.; and Jerry Thomas, Henderson, Tenn.

BBU President: Larry Meacham

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Larry graduated from Spring Woods High school in 1974. He attended Sam Houston State University for a brief period before pursuing a career in the Construction Trades. Larry has one son, Chad, a daughter in-law, Mimi, and 3 grandchildren that are the apple of his eye – Mae 6, Hazel 4 and Bates 18 months. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and just about anything outdoors. Larry is part of a family owned business (began in 1979) in Houston, Texas called DL Meacham Construction Company. The company is now a third-generation business with his son at the helm. Larry grew up in and around cattle and horses owned by two of his uncles. His uncles had a tremendous influence on his desire to become a rancher/cattleman. He bought his first Beefmaster cattle in 1985, just because he liked their look. He quickly became passionate about his cattle and started to push them to be better and better. “It’s certainly a marathon and not a sprint” Larry admits. Larry has been a BBU member for 30 plus years (mostly as a lifetime). He is currently serving as BBU President for two years. Meacham has served on numerous committees over the years (Breed Improvement, Commercial Marketing, Long Range Planning, Finance and Audit and Convention). He is the President of the Texoma Marketing Group, CEO for Beef Development Group (GrowSafe System), a member of the Central Texas BBA satellite group and a proud donor and supporter of the Beefmaster Educational Endowment Foundation (B.E.E.F.). Larry partners with Derek Frenzel in F&M Cattle Company, a Beefmaster seedstock operation. They market their bulls through Beef on Forage and sell heifers private treaty. They sell cattle nationally and internationally. Meacham states, “We not only follow the Six Essentials, but we also push our cattle to perform in carcass traits and feed efficiency. We make no excuses. If it can be measured, we measure it. We have a 60-day breeding program for calving in the spring and a 60-day breeding program for calving in the fall. We utilize Artificial Insemination and embryo transfer in our breeding.” They also participate in Whole Herd Reporting (WHR), genotype and ultrasound 100% of their calves and put their calves through a GrowSafe system (test for Feed Efficiency and Residual Feed Intake). Meacham explains, “I strive to be the best that I can be, and I expect my cattle to follow suit. It’s a way of life.”

BBU Vice President: Derek Thompson

Derek is a native of Silver Lake, Kansas, and graduated from Washburn University in 1999, with a degree in business. Derek entered the financial services arena in the fall of 1999 by way of a national, corporately-owned marketing organization as his first opportunity out of college. Quickly recognized for his leadership, he served as Director of LTCi Sales, growing the division from the ground floor to annual sales of over $5 million by 2004. Seeking independence and greater opportunity, Derek partnered with close friends Cody Foster and David Callanan, forming Advisors Excel in 2005. Derek was instrumental in helping Advisors Excel become fastest financial marketing organizations that industry has ever seen. Currently Advisors Excel employs over 650 employees in their hometown of Topeka, Kan. Seeing an opportunity to get involved in the cattle industry, Derek started and co-founded Nextgen Cattle in 2016. “The goal of Nextgen Cattle Co. is to have a foundation of integrity, trust, passion and vision in our approach, in our cattle, and in our service to provide data and consulting to each ranch that chooses to purchase cattle from us.” Nextgen Cattle Feeding includes two feed yards with approximately 45,000 head capacity in southwest Kansas and a 10,000 head grow yard in Allen, Kan. Nextgen Trading was started in 2018 in which it trades bulk feeding commodities across the United States. In 2019 Nextgen Trading traded over 250,000 tons of feed. Derek and his wife, Christin, were married in 2005 and have three incredible children, Carlie, Chase and Caden. Life at the Thompson’s, paired with helping run a company, keeps Derek on the move, but when he gets a chance to unwind you can find him hunting, fishing and donning the purple to support his Kansas State University Wildcats.

New directors

Ty Agee, Memphis, Tenn.   

Ty Agee manages his own business on Beale Street, Memphis, Tenn., for 20 years. He has been involved with cattle his entire life. He started his registered Beefmaster cattle operation in 1994. Ty and his wife Preslie have three boys. They live in Memphis and Preslie works part-time at their business on Beale. The cattle are located in Fayette County, where Ty grew up. Ty is actively involved in satellites (SEBBA, ABBA, CSBBA, OHOA) and BOF. He has served in many capacities of leadership in these organizations, making him aware of the needs and programs to keep their operation growing. Ty was SEBBA member of year in 2018. Ty has served on several of the BBU committees for multiple years including Membership, Long Range Planning, Convention, Advertising and Nominating. He knows what a sound customer friendly registry should be providing to its membership. Ty has Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Dyersburg State University, with a plethora of knowledge in the school of hard knocks. He has the ability to get people involved for the good of all. He is a really good motivator with a focus on making Beefmaster better. Ty states, “I will serve each of you to the best of my ability. I want us to be more consumer friendly for our membership and grow the Beefmaster breed.”

Cindy Emmons, Fairfield, Texas

Being born and raised in Fairfield, Texas, Cindy has spent her entire life in ranching operations, only leaving the rural lifestyle to attain her college education at Texas A&M University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree. Cindy, along with her best friend and partner, Steve, began Emmons Ranch in 1975, the summer they were married. Their dream and goal from the beginning, was to raise the very best Beefmaster cattle possible and make ranching their family lifestyle.  Their three sons, Bodie, Corey and Clay, were raised on the ranch, and now their six grandchildren are also following the same lifestyle. Emmons Ranch has been producing and promoting Beefmaster cattle for 45 years. They host an annual Bull Sale and Female Production Sale. Cindy has been very active in BBU as well as her local community, serving on numerous committee’s and chairing events. She is a member of First Baptist Church, Streetman, Texas.

Lorenzo Lasater, San Angelo, Texas

Lorenzo Lasater is President of Isa Beefmasters, LLC in San Angelo, Texas. He has been with the company for over 27 years. Lorenzo graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz in 1990 with a B.A. in Literature. He then graduated from Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management Program in 1993. Isa Beefmasters raises registered Beefmaster cattle on native grassland in eight leased locations around Texas. The company holds a 140 head bull sale each October, sells 50 private treaty bulls each spring, offers females for sale private treaty and sells semen and embryos both domestically and internationally. Lorenzo is the grandson of the founder of the Beefmaster breed, and a fifth-generation rancher, so he has spent his entire life around Beefmasters. He has served as President of Beefmaster Breeders United and chaired numerous committees including the International Committee currently. He is also is a Director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and serves on committees for the National Cattleman’s Beef Association. He has also served as Chairman of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and served on numerous non-profit boards in the community. He has been married to Leslie for 27 years, and they have two sons; Watt and Beau and one awesome grandson, Jaxon. Both boys married wonderful girls in 2020. He and Leslie also own a printing and direct mail company, Company Printing.

Kito Saenz, San Isidro, Texas

Kito owns and operates Farm and Ranch Beefmasters in San Isidro, Texas. Kito is a fourth-generation rancher who currently runs over 400 head of registered Beefmasters on two different ranches in Starr County, Texas. The cattle operation uses weights and measures, Al breeding, flush donors and transfers embryos to Beefmaster females using the best genetics available. Kito is a Lifetime Member of BBU and has been with BBU since 2002. He is a member of LOBBA and STBBA where he sits on both the South Texas and LOBBA Board. He was a member of the Board of Directors of BBU from 2010 to 2014 and served on the International and Membership Committees. He has served on the International Committee making several trips to Mexico, Nicaragua, and Argentina representing Beefmasters at their Conventions and cattle shows. He was chosen Member of the Year in 2010 by STBBA and Breeder of the Year in 2012 and 2013 by both STBBA and LOBBA. Kito received the BBU Environmental Award in 2014. His cattle have won numerous Championship awards at local and district livestock shows and have received numerous championship awards at Beefmaster sales and futurities. Kito sponsors local students with his animals so students can have an animal project at local and district shows at no cost to the students. Kito attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Education and a master’s degree in School Administration. He taught vocational agriculture for 13 years before leaving his teaching profession to operate his part time business full time. Kito owns and operates Farm and Ranch Supply, a local hardware and feed store in San lsidro, Texas and also owns Farm and Ranch Pump Service, which installs and repairs water well pumps and a Trash Disposal Company that collects and disposes of local residential and commercial trash. Kito served on the San Isidro School Board where he was a member for 26 years. He also served on the South Texas Workforce Commission Board and has served on the Starr County Appraisal District Board and was chosen Starr County Conservation Rancher of the year in 2014. Kito and Leti Saenz are members of San Isidro Catholic Church and have been married for 35 years and have four daughters and nine grandchildren.

For more information about Beefmaster Breeders United and its board of directors please contact the BBU office at 210-732-3132 or visit www.beefmasters.org. Stay connected to BBU through Facebook, view our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and receive our news updates through joining our mailing list.

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Beefmaster Breeders United (www.beefmasters.org), located in Boerne, Texas, is a not-for-profit breed registration organization that provides programs and services for its members. Beefmaster, Beefmaster Advancer and E6 cattle are selected on the “Six Essentials” of disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, milk production and hardiness.