August 11, 2012
Ardmore, OK Convention Center

TEMPLE GRANDIN, Colorado State University

Temple is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, best-selling author and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. As a person with high-functioning autism, Grandin is also noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the squeeze machine designed to calm hypersensitive people. Grandin is the focus of a semi-biographical HBO film, Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes. Released in 2010, the movie was nominated for 15 Emmys, and received five awards, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie and Best Actress in a Drama.

KIT PHARO,
Pharo Cattle Company

In the early 1980’s Kit and his wife, Deanna, had an opportunity to lease and manage a ranch of their own. Kit’s initial goal was to show everyone how to wean bigger calves and succeed at ranching. He soon discovered that bigger calves did not create bigger profits. The past twenty-five years have been devoted to creating an efficient and profitable cow/calf operation. Their goal now is to increase profits while improving the land and their lifestyle. It has nothing to do with weaning bigger calves. Kit has some very unique and innovative management ideas and philosophies that differ substantially from traditional ways of thinking.

MIKE SANDS,
Informa Economics

Mike grew up on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin and received his B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois, all in agricultural economics. Mike worked as an extension agricultural economist at Purdue University prior to joining Kansas State University as an extension livestock marketing economist. He then served as director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Lakewood, CO. Today, Mike is Vice-President of Informa Economics in Memphis, TN. His work includes economic research and market analysis emphasizing cattle and beef prices.