Date:
7/11/2006 12:00:00 AM
Title:
Four Industry Leaders Named to ISEF Board of Directors
(Fort Worth, TX) – The International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation (ISEF) has named four global beef industry leaders to its Board of Directors, announced ISEF Chairman James O. Reagan, PhD.
Elected to serve a one-year term was Jim Butler, PhD, of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Mark Gustafson of Swift & Company of Greeley, Colo.
Elected to serve three-year terms were Mohammad Koohmaraie, Director of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., and Ross Wilson, Executive Vice President of Texas Cattle Feeders of Amarillo, Tex.
“The ISEF is fortunate to have a board of directors with a wealth of experience and knowledge of the global beef industry and these additions to the board only deepen that intellectual pool,” said Reagan. “We are looking forward to even greater growth in services to the industry as a result of these appointments.”
ISEF Directors will take on the task of advancing placement of International Livestock Congress events around the world, the expansion of the Student Travel Experience Program (STEP), as well as the development of an industry Issues Caucus.
Dr. Butler is Deputy Director General of Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San Jose, Costa Rica. The Institutes purpose is to promote agriculture and rural development throughout the 34 countries within the Western Hemisphere. He is also serving as the interim Director of Agricultural Health and Food Safety Division. Prior to serving this capacity, he was the Deputy Undersecretary, Farm and Foreign Agriculture Service for the United States Department of Agriculture.
He was responsible for overseeing emerging international trade agreements, biotechnology issues, new and developing risk management issues, domestic agriculture support programs, implementing disaster payments, trade dispute resolution with particular emphasis to sanitary and phytosanitary areas.
Mark Gustafson is vice president of International Sales for Swift & Company in Greeley, Colo., the third-largest processor of beef and pork in the United States and the largest beef processor in Australia. He held the same position starting in 1995 with ConAgra Beef Company before CBC was joined in 2002 with ConAgra’s fresh pork division to form Swift & Company. Gustafson joined ConAgra from the U.S. Meat Export Federation, where he worked for 11 years, most recently as vice president of Technical Services and Research.
A graduate of the University of Wyoming with a degree in Animal Science, Gustafson began his career with Monfort, the forerunner of ConAgra Beef Company and Swift and Company, where he worked from 1977 through 1984 in production, production scheduling and international sales.
Gustafson has been active in the industry, serving on the Secretary of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee for Meat and Poultry Inspection, on the Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee, and the International Trade Committee of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Dr. Koohmaraie received his B.S. degree in Animal Science from Pahlavi University in Iran. He received his M.S. degree from Texas A&M University and his Ph.D. degree in Animal Science from Oregon State University. From 1984 to 1987, Dr. Koohmaraie was a postdoctoral fellow at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) of USDA-ARS and Michigan State University. In 1987, he joined the staff at USMARC as a Research Physiologist. In 1991, he became the Research Leader of the Meats Research Unit (MRU) at that location. During his career as a scientist and Research Leader of the MRU, he focused his research efforts on the biological mechanisms regulating meat tenderness as well as addressing food safety issues facing the meat industry.
As Director of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, he has the responsibility for directing research and operation of the Center. The Center employs 260 staff members, including 64 permanent and temporary scientists. The 2006 operating budget for USMARC is $23.8 million.
Ross Wilson is president & CEO of Texas Cattle Feeders Association, headquartered in Amarillo., where he is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Association, including supervising a staff of 18 and carrying out policy established by the TCFA Board of Directors.
Wilson has been active in several industry-related and civic organizations. He served as co-chairman of the Texas Agricultural Council, chairman of the Agricultural Advisory Committee to the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission, as a member of both the Natural Resources Committee to the American Bar Association and the Council on Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching for Texas A&M University. Wilson also serves on the Board of the Tri-State Fair and is a former Board member of the High Plains Food Bank and Leader for 4-H youth programs.
Prior to joining TCFA, Wilson served as a Legislative Assistant to former U.S. Congressman Jack Hightower of Texas and Executive Assistant for the Texas Wheat Producers Association.
For more information about the ISEF and its programs, go to ww.theisef.com. Organizations interested in supporting the goal and mission of the Foundation are encouraged to contact ISEF Executive Director Julie Bryant at 817-443-0686 or by e-mail at julie@theisef.com.