Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) members re-elected fellow breeder Tim Whitley of Horton, Ala., to a second year as president of the national breed association. Whitley, a 46-year member of the RAAA, said, “It has been a great pleasure and challenge to serve as president of the RAAA. Our breed has experienced great growth and continues to be successful in serving the commercial producer with sound, functional cattle. As president, I will continue to work with the board to increase and strengthen our association.”

Both of Whitley’s parents, Henry and Jane, served on the RAAA Board of Directors. Whitley is the fifth generation on his family’s farm. His son James Ray and his wife Natalie are the sixth, and grandson Jackson is the seventh.

“Our philosophy is to raise sound, functional and maternally efficient cattle that utilize the available forages and are adaptable to the southeastern environment,” said Whitley. Whitley Red Angus markets their Red Angus bulls and females through on-farm production sales, private treaty and consignment sales.

Whitley Red Angus has been honored as Red Angus Pioneer Breeder of the Year and Personality of the Year, and recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Red Angus history. Whitley has served on the RAAA Re-Apportionment and Fee Structure Committee and as Chairman of the Registration Committee.

Whitley has been a junior and regular RAAA member for over 45 years. His youth involvement included showing Red Angus heifers and steers in 4-H, competing on the Alabama State Livestock Judging championship team, receiving the FFA American Farmer Degree and representing Alabama on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Young Cattlemen’s Conference.

Whitley is well-known in Alabama’s agriculture sector having served on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Beef Committee, Blount County Oneonta Agribusiness Center board of directors and treasurer, past president of Blount County Farmers Federation, and Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association board of directors. He is the past president of the Southeastern Red Angus Association and Regional Vice President of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, and currently serves as treasurer of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church.

“Through our breed founders’ foresight and core values, I have a deep appreciation of the vision that has yielded increased market share and relevance for the Red Angus breed,” said Whitley. “I look forward to serving Red Angus stakeholders in this leadership role.”

Following the National Convention, the RAAA Board of Directors selected Region B Director Kim Ford of Bertrand, Neb., to serve as first vice president, and Area 6 Great Plains Director Barry Horsley of Council Hill, Okla., was chosen as second vice president.

The following individuals were also elected or re-elected to a term on the RAAA board:

Bob Morton of Three Forks, Mont., was re-elected to a second term as a director from Region A. Morton and his wife Julie own and operate Green Mountain Red Angus in southwest Montana along with their two teenage sons, Tom and Jim. The family has raised registered Red Angus cattle for nearly 30 years.

Kyley DeVoe of Justin, Texas, was elected to serve as a director from Area 4 – Southwest. He and his wife Brenna live on the family ranch, 3K Land and Cattle, with their daughters Karlee Kay and Kenedy Kay. 3K Land and Cattle is a seedstock operation that started in the early 1980s by Brenna’s parents, Wayne and Judy Kay Ferguson. DeVoe manages the daily operations of the ranch while maintaining an intensive A.I. and embryo transfer program.

John M. Langdon of Benson, N.C., was elected to serve as a director from Area 7 – Northeast. Langdon and his wife Eileen own Landgon Red Angus and Simmental. The couple breeds and sells purebred Red Angus, purebred Simmental and red SimAngus cattle. In addition to ranching, Langdons also operate a 10,000-head hog-finishing operation. John and Eileen have three children – John Michael II, Hunter and Megan.

Kurt Rich of Vinton, Iowa, was elected to serve as a director from Area 9 – Midwest. He and his wife Jane raise commercial and seed corn, soybean, hay and Red Angus cattle in east central Iowa. Rich Red Angus uses an embryo transfer program, artificial insemination and top-quality herd sires in its breeding program, which emphasizes maternal traits.

Others serving on the RAAA Board include: Area 1 – West Director Leonard Wood of Sandpoint, Idaho; Area 2 – Montana Director Bruce Ketchum of Plevna, Mont.; Area 3 – Rocky Mountain Director Kevin Miller of Briggsdale, Colo.; Area 5 – Northern Plains Director Gary Jacobson of Hitterdal, Minn.; Area 8 Southeast Director Raymond Prescott of Gray Court, S.C.; and Region C Director Johnny Rogers of Roxboro, N.C.