The kind you want to be a part of 

Sometimes it’s easy to measure, like back-to-back-to-back record-setting sales years. Like $352 million in premiums paid to producers who succeed at hitting our brand standards. Like a CAB demand index that keeps pointing upward.

But some success is more of a judgment call, or a feeling. Members of the Black Ink Team who were at our recent Annual Conference said you could feel the success radiating from our two Colvin Scholarship winners, Loni Woolley and Rebecca (Tokach) Acheson. Named after CAB’s first CEO (Mick Colvin), the scholarship looks to both reward and encourage high-achieving students involved in the beef industry.

Mark says, “Every year when I’m sitting in the session where they address the crowd, the people around me say, ‘Where do you find these young people?!?’ They’re very impressed, to say the least.”

And why wouldn’t they be? It’s not every day you throw a 20-something, with no formal company training up on stage in front of 500+ partners to represent you. Rarer still when she not only knows what bovine satellite cells and preadipocytes are, but has spent several years of her life studying them. But earlier this month, Rebecca told the crowd about growing up in the Angus business, falling in love with the meat science side of it all and how she is now doing doctorate work in tenderness and nutritional composition of certain beef cuts.

Loni Woolley told about her many high school activities—including 4-H, FFA and volleyball–but that meat judging was always her favorite. So she studied it and studied it some more—now getting her master’s in that area and coaching the Texas Tech meats judging team she once participated on.

Even though these gals were in West Virginia as honored guests (and to help out a bit with the Colvin Scholarship Fund golf outing), they carried their student mentality with them, soaking up the experience.

“It’s great to interact with more people outside of producers and people that work in the packing plant,” Rebecca says. “How they use the product that my parents and my friends’ parents produce every day.”

From the Ohio chef to the East Coast retailers, Loni learned about the challenges that folks on the beef side of the beef business are facing.

“I was able to talk with many of the foodservice providers that were so passionate about what they do and seem to always be trying to get more CAB,” she says. (Hint, hint: Does that sound like opportunity?)

They sat down to dinner with everyone from further processors to CAB staff members, and both say they were in good company.

Loni says the producers relayed such an important message. “They were so positive about the future of beef and really told the story of a family business.”

That’s the kind of success that others like to be a part of.

“The cattlemen that don’t get to attend the conference should know that everyone else in the industry relies on them and they do care about you! They are interested in what you are doing and believe that you will keep producing the cattle they need to keep up with demand,” Loni says.

And Rebecca finishes that thought, “You have a group for 500+ individuals that meet every year who are passionate and excited to sell your product. You have this whole team of workers behind you trying to promote it. You’re not alone.”

May your bottom line be filled with black ink,

Miranda

PS—If you know a guy or gal that reminds you of Loni or Rebecca—the high achievers, the dedicated, the studious beef lovers, be sure to watch our website for more details on the next round of Colvin Scholarships later on this year.

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