CALF_News_August_September_2019

44 CALF News • August | September 2019 • www.calfnews.net On the Human Side National RUSSELE SLEEP of Bedford, Iowa, was named the 2019 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion (WLAC) during the 56th annual competition held at Tulare Sales Yard, Tulare, Calif., and presented by the LIVESTOCK MAR- KETING ASSOCIATION (LMA). Sleep, a nine-time top ten qualifier of the WLAC and 2016 Reserve Champion Auctioneer, earned his spot to this year’s competition by winning the LMA’s Midwest Qualifying Event. Twenty-nine other semi-finalists also qualified through three regional qualifying events. Company ALLTECH has hired BRYAN SANDER- SON has joined the company as the U.S. beef species manager. Prior to joining Alltech, Sanderson served as the direc- tor of agriculture development for the state of South Dakota, and he has held roles in production agriculture and with other agriculture companies, including LAND O’LAKES and CARGILL ANIMAL NUTRITION . BIOZYME ® INC. , has hired AVENS RIDGEWAY as its training manager. In this newly created position, Ridgeway will bring her expertise in training and interpersonal skills to the headquarters in St. Joseph, Mo., to help all employees feel more successful in their professional growth endeavors. Trail’s End Letter to the Editor Ms. Gigot, The June/July CALF News was just awesome. I especially appreciated Kelsey Pagel’s heart-wrenching words [“A Tough Winter”]. God bless each of you and yours. Mike Graves Nashville, Ark. PMI NUTRITIONAL ADDITIVES , a newly created division of LAND O’LAKES , Inc., has hired KEVIN DEHAAN, PH.D. , as a regional account sales manager. Previously with Phibro ANIMAL HEALTH , DeHaan will provide technical support to cattle producers and feedlot managers in the western United States.  increased MERCOSUR beef imports, the EU will instigate devilish new ways to thwart existing North American beef imports. I know it sounds conspirato- rial, but beef producers need to know that their product is always front and center to global trade intrigues. We need to have a North American beef trading block strategy to protect our interests. Such an approach sure seems to work for the EU and MERCOSUR trading blocks.  E-mail comments to willverboven@hotmail.com GREAT WHITE NORTH Continued from page 12 GYPSYWAGON Continued from page 6 As an aside, one of the most admirable parts of the cattle community is the popu- lation of self-starting, creative people who throw the dice every day. We are properly proud of the American dream. Likewise, in the case of my son and my niece, the American dream is alive and well for those who take the risks, walk the walk and stay the course. My top prize for the month in advertising was the sale of a multi-million-dollar property in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The ad listed one of the property’s major sell- ing points was that the huge ranch was unencumbered by buildings. How is that for a lemon to lemonade switch? On the home front, response to our last issue on trials and triumphs in the cattle business was heartwarming. Our thoughts are still with those trying to recover from the crisis. Here’s hoping I see you down the road.  Betty Jo Gigot bjgigot@calfnews.net Russele Sleep Bryan Sanderson Kevin Dehaan, Ph.D. GEORGE REMINGTON , 93, passed away June 11 in Billings, Mont. George was the father of longtime CALF News writer and copy editor Larisa Willrett and friend to fellow journalist Betty Jo Gigot. George’s career as a reporter for United Press International took him from Hawaii to California and back to Montana. He became publisher of the Helena Independent Record and later the Billings Gazette . George was forward thinking and fair-minded, always covering the story from both sides. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Montana in 1992, honoring his extensive contri- butions to Montana journalism. George is survived by his three children and five grandchil- dren. 