All great things must come to an end, including legendary careers! Thankfully, once you are an All West Family member, you are part of our team for life! The retirees of All West/Select Sires remain an important part of our cooperative’s rich history, as well as a valuable tool to plan for the future.

In celebration of the All West/Select Sires 80th Anniversary this year, we’re catching up with some of our “All West Legacies” and providing you with an update in the form of their responses to seven simple questions.

This month, we caught up with Mr. Allan Cossentine!

 

1. What years were you employed by All West/Select Sires?

“1980-2018”

 

2. What position(s) did you hold?

“Superior Sires owners Tom Olsen and Lloyd Vierra had never had a “Sales Manager”.  So, when I first started, I was selling semen and writing a monthly newsletter. I also did our advertising in the trade magazines. When Dutch Aldrich retired, I took over the full-time sales of Kings, Kern and Tulare counties, as well as California’s central coast from Hollister to Santa Maria, and continued as a Sales Representative in those areas until my own retirement.”

All West Family members with past Superior Sires owner, Lloyd Vierra
Left to Right: Ken Rowley, Denis Curtin, Allan Cossentine, Lloyd Vierra, Marvin Correia, Don Davis, Rene Meyers, Greg Silva

3. Who is your favorite bull of all time?

7HO2257 MARKARTHUR. He had great conception, made great udders… and made me, as well as my customers, a lot of money in profit!”

4. What was your greatest achievement as part of the All West Family?

“Simply being part of the All West Family was an achievement! My coworkers became my friends who I still have to this day. I often ask myself, what in all this world could have been better?

I also recall several individual achievements. I believe I am the only salesman in Select Sires history to sell over $2,000.000.00 worth of products in one year. In the last quarter of 2008, during a short period of three months, I sold nearly one million dollars worth of Select Sires products. At one time, I was the top semen salesman in the world. As of today, I still believe there are only two of us that have sold over 3.75 million units. Although my friend, Denis Curtin, is close! I ended my career after selling 3,683,734 units of Select Sires semen.”

Denis Curtin, Allan Cossentine, and Marvin Correia receiving sales awards from Select Sires Inc. CEO, David Thorbahn.

 5. What is your favorite All West memory?

“There are truly so many memories, but my favorites are from the infamous All West (and friends) “Snake Tours” we would embark on following Select Sires Inc. National Sales Conferences. Those were the best of times with the best of friends.”

These superstar All West Sales Representatives are a few of the original “Snake Tour” attendees.
They are pictured here at the 2018 National Select Sires Sales Conference.
Left to Right: Don Davis, Marvin Correia, Allan Cossentine, Denis Curtin, Larry Nootenboom

 6. What keeps you busy these days?

“I am almost too busy. I work four days each week as a waiter and a wine pourer at Vina Robles Winery in Paso Robles. This job keeps me busy for about 30 hours per week, walking about six miles each day on the job! I enjoy this job more than I could have ever imagined. I’m part of a team again. I get to do what I think I do best again, which is talk and sell a product. I have taken what I learned over 40 years in the A.I. business, knowing my product, knowing my industry, knowing my limitations and listening to the customers. Now, I am the top wine club salesman they have and almost every day, when folks make their reservations, someone will ask, “Can Allan serve us?” I have been truly blessed to find work that I enjoy… again!

Allan Cossentine receiving his Super Achiever Award for outstanding sales and service from Select Sires Inc.’s Dick Chichester in 1999.

 7. What are you currently looking forward to?

“It appears we will be able to start doing some traveling again soon. Along with traveling, we look forward to watching our youngest grandchildren in the many sports they are involved in, getting together with All West friends when we can, working, and of course enjoying the product I sell now, wine!”

Allan Cossentine and his lovely wife, Suzi, at an All West holiday celebration.

 

To learn more about Allan Cossentine’s legacy, click here to watch and listen!

 

 

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