At the Select Sires 2013 National Sales Conference held September 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio, Stuart Rasmussen of Rushville, Neb., Doug Harris of Orange, Va., and Shane Talkington of Belfield, N.D., were named 2013 Beef Boosters of the Year for their outstanding work in the beef cattle industry.

“These men are incredibly important to the support of our beef division in that they are viewed by their co-workers and managers as those who lead the way, set examples for fellow sales representatives and more importantly, put in the extra hours and drive the extra miles to be the industry’s best in service,” says Luke Bowman, Select Sires beef public relations and communications coordinator. “They have been there to provide support for their peers, and they are dedicated to the success of the American rancher. These men will go down in history as some of the best that the Select Sires beef business has ever seen.”

Stuart Rasmussen, sales representative for Select Sires MidAmerica, Inc., has been one of the pioneers in offering full-service breeding programs to his customers dating back to the mid 1980s. Stuart is respected by his co-workers and has been the “go-to” person to answer questions about bulls and synchronization protocols. His customers have always gone to him for advice and direction in their breeding programs. He focuses on developing sound, long-lasting cows for his customers.

“Stuart has likely marketed more beef semen than any Select Sires salesperson over the last 20 years,” explains Randy Hill, Select Sires MidAmerica, Inc. manager. “His beef semen sales vary from 15,000 to well over 20,000 straws per year with a high blend price. He is recognized as ‘Mr. Select Sires’ in much of western Nebraska.”

As a 14-year veteran of Minnesota/Select Sires Co-Op Inc., Shane Talkington’s contributions to Select Sires’ business development are clear. His humble attitude and servant leadership style have made a tremendous difference for Select Sires as well as the North Dakota Angus Association where he is now a member of their board of directors.

“Shane led the reinvention of our beef business at Minnesota/Select Sires Co-Op Inc. that resulted in record units and dollars in 2012 and we expect records yet again for 2013,” says Chris Sigurdson, general manager of Minnesota/Select Sires Co-Op Inc. “He’s a good one and we are blessed to have him on our team.”

Select Sire Power Inc., area sales manager, Doug Harris, embraced the concept of turn-key breeding projects and providing highly skilled professional technicians early in his career. He is a promoter of value-added genetics and has worked closely with his clients to provide opportunities for them to realize the value of superior A.I. genetics.

“His belief in highly accurate, superior genetics at an affordable price has resulted in impressive accomplishments,” explains Norm Vincel, manager of Select Sire Power Inc. “Within Select Sire Power Inc., he markets nearly 20 percent of all beef semen. He has managed our single largest beef account for over a decade, providing a tremendous amount of coordination for the dozen breeding sites within this account, and has served on numerous advisory boards and committees.”

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