Amber Spafford brings nearly 20 years of service to LPC. Her years in LPC leadership roles started in 1985 when she was elected as director and continued through her presidency in 1990-91. For 10 years she chaired the Critique Contest and was also the chairman of the 1989 Kansas City LPC annual convention, chair of the Royal Gala and was instrumental in the concept of the LPC Heritage Center in Kansas City. She has also been honored with LPC’s Distinguished Service Award. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, her professional career started at the Charolais Banner, Gulf Coast Cattleman, then back to the Charolais Journal for nine years. This job took her to Kansas City where she eventually went to the American Polled Hereford Association, then formed her own company Spafford and Associates. Since March 2000, she has been at Osborn & Barr Communications in Kansas City.

Jim Jennings joined the staff of the Quarter Horse Journal in 1972 as the editorial assistant. Since that time, he has been a driving force behind the editorial improvement of the magazine. Jennings was promoted to Senior Director of the AQHA publications department in 1995. One of his greatest achievements was being instrumental in the development of AQHA’s additional award winning publications, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal and America’s Horse. He served on the board for has served as president of American Horse Publications and Miss Rodeo America Inc. along with being very active on numerous committees of all of these organizations. His monthly column makes him famous for his writing skills, but he is also an exceptional photographer and horseman.

Henry King has more than 40 years of continuous years of service to the livestock publications industry. In 1960 he went to work for the Quarter Horse Journal. After 10 years he left to co-own and publish the Ranchman magazine. Following its sale he went to work for the American Paint Horse Association. In the early ‘80s he started the Lone Star Horse Report selling it in 1996. He then became editor of the Fort Worth based Drover magazine. In 2002 he became a contributing editor for the Texas Longhorn Trails. King is a founding member of LPC, writing the original letter outlining the mission of the organization.

Cheryl Oxley has been a part of Angus Productions Inc. (API) since the Angus Journal was purchased by the American Angus Association in 1979. She started as a typesetter and progressed to productionmanagement responsibilities. Those duties were combined with overseeing the advertising department in 1991. Today Oxley oversees and coordinates activity relevant to API office personnel and business activity, primarily supervising the production of all API published materials, including the Angus Journal, Angus Beef Bulletin and Special Services promotional products. Oxley was elected to the LPC board in 1983. She then served as secretary/treasurer from 1988-93. After serving as second and first vice president she served as president in 1995-96.

Dan Wedman has a lifetime with the Limousin breed when right out of college Dale Runnion hired him at the International Limousin World in 1974. In October 1983 Wedman and Runnion branched out and started Limousin World. Wedman has owned and operated Limousin World for 15 years after Runnion sold his interest in 1986. This proves Wedman’s determination and hard work to be with the same company for more than 26 years. Wedman graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in animal science. He is also a past president of LPC and served on numerous committees and on the board from 1986 through his presidency in 1991-92.

E.C. Larkin, San Antonio, Texas has been active in the livestock communications industry for 35 years and is currently publisher of the Gulf Coast Cattleman, an LPC charter member, and The Beefmaster Cowman, the official publication of Beefmaster Breeders United. Larkin graduated from East Texas State University in 1966. He was LPC president from 1984-85 and has served on many LPC committees since 1979. Larkin has also worked for other LPC-member-publications, including Polled Hereford World magazine and Western Livestock Journal.

J. Neil Orth, San Antonio, Texas. For 12 years Orth served as executive vice president of the International Brangus Breeders Association and president of Brangus Publications, Inc. (BPI). He has been on the staff of member organizations of LPC since 1975 plus being involved in numerous other other livestock associations including U.S. Beef Breeds Council, National Pedigreed Livestock Council, Beef ’s Beef Association (NCBA) Seedstock Steering Committee.

Warren Morse, Lenexa, Kansas. Morse, was vice president and publishing director of Vance Publishing overseeing the livestock division including the titles of Drovers, Dairy Herd Management, Pork ‘99, Swine Practitioner, Bovine Veterinarian, Meat and Seafood Merchandising. He joined the Drovers Journal in 1958 as a livestock fieldman and became livestock sales manager in 1966. He was also an active member of the APA. Morse
served in the US Army following his graduation from the University of Missouri.

Warren Kester, Bella Vista, Arkansas. Features editor, BEEF Magazine. He has more than 54 years’ experience in both broadcast and written media with a trademark throughout his career being his commitment to the producer. A native of Audubon County, Iowa, he graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in agronomy. His background extends into radio work but in 1969 became managing editor of the Beef Extra supplement for Farm Journal. In 1980 he moved to BEEF in a similar position and remained until 1986. He continued in semi-retirement
as features editor for BEEF.

Susan Wagner, Fort Worth. Associate editor of The Cattleman magazine. Joined the magazine soon after graduation from the University of Texas at Austin. She was instrumental in designing the LPC student award program and was its first chairperson. She was also the first woman to serve as LPC president (1986-87) and helped plan and produce several annual meetings. She was news editor and then production manager at The Cattleman before becoming associate editor.

Audie Rackley, Amarillo, Texas. Executive editor of the Quarter Horse Journal and Quarter Racing Journal at the time of his retirement in 1995. Serving longer than any previous editor of the Quarter Horse Journal, he joined the American Quarter Horse Association in 1970 as advertising director. During Rackley’s tenure the Journal became one of the largest equine breed magazines in the country. Quarter Racing Journal, EXTRA, Show Results and Race Results were begun while he was editor.

William D. (Bill) Fleming, Eagan, Minnesota. Editorial Director of National Hog Farmer and BEEF magazines of Webb/Intertec at his retirement in 1994. Fleming spent his career in livestock journalism. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1950 and first worked as farm director of an Iowa radio station. He spent 28 years with Webb, first for BEEF magazine and later as editor of National Hog Farmer (1980-93). He is noted for his photography, writing and innovations he brought to livestock journalism.

Ed Bible, Kansas City, Missouri. Editor of the Polled Hereford World and president of the American Polled Hereford Association (APHA) since February, 1994. Bible earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee before joining APHA in 1973. He is a past LPC president and his publication is a charter member. The winner of numerous publishing awards, he is especially noted for his efforts to improve the marketing of Polled Hereford cattle and for being an innovator in publication production.

Roger Berglund, Littleton, Colorado. Retired National Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) Director of Public Information. At NCA he established a communications department that was responsible for an external public relations program as well as industry and member communications. As vice president of communications at NCA, he played a part in establishing the National Cattlemen magazine, Beef Brief and other publications designed to fulfill specific communication needs.

Keith E. Evans, St. Joseph, Missouri. Director of Communications and Public Relations of the American Angus Association. In his work with the association, Evans developed a network of news releases for individual and breed promotion, has won national media awards for advertising and educational programs and has set professional standards for the entire industry.

Fred Knop, Editor, Drovers Journal, Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Saluted for achievements within Drovers Journal since joining that publication in 1982. Recognizing significant cattle business changes, Knop and associates “moved with the tide,” converting Drovers Journal from a weekly general livestock newspaper to a bi-weekly tabloid cattle-business journal and finally to today’s cattle business-oriented monthly magazine. Knop was president of LPC in 1989-90.

Paul D. Andre, Founding and only editor of the now 28-year-old BEEF Magazine, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Highly respected innovator in livestock publishing. At the startup of BEEF only two things had been decided, the logo and the page size. Andre proceeded to select type faces, style and design. He enjoyed complete freedom in the direction and philosophy of editorial product. He was LPC’s 1988-89 president and was chairman of the LPC Publications Contest. 1993 marked his retirement as editor of BEEF Magazine as well as chairperson of the publications contest.

John T. Jenkins, Macon, Georgia. For major contributions to livestock publishing and the livestock industry. Editor/publisher of Beefweek. Starting on Florida Cattleman in 1947, buying Southern Livestock in 1948, merging with Breeder Stockman to establish Livestock Breeder Journal 10 years later, converted LBJ into Beefweek. Jenkins was president of the Association of Georgia Printers, and of LPC. He was awarded more honors than there is space to mention.

Dale F. Runnion, Fountain Hills, Arizona. For a colorful half century of industry influence. Founder/Publisher/ Editor Emeritus, Limousin World. Successful livestock buyer, stockyard manager, World War II Major, Drovers Journal fieldman, Angus Journal fieldman to general manager, International Limousin Journal founder, North American Limousin Foundation interim executive, LPC president. He has hired, fired and inspired many on livestock publications.

Allan W. McGhee, Overland Park, Kansas. Honored for lifetime livestock industry editorial leadership. Editor Emeritus, The Drovers Journal. Starting on Chicago’s Daily Drovers Journal in 1940, his career spanned the decline of central markets, surrender of market dailies to instantaneous radio, television and direct wire reporting. He helped editorially convert the four Corn Belt Dailies into the weekly Drovers Journal.

Forrest Bassford, Encinitas, California. In recognition of a lifetime of meritorious service to the livestock industry. LPC Executive Director Emeritus. Publisher Emeritus, Western Livestock Journal and Charolais Journal. In livestock publishing since 1930; Denver Daily Record Stockman, American Hereford Journal fieldman, Record Stockman and The Westerner editor, Western Livestock Journal editor and then publisher, Charolais Journal founding publisher. A founding member of LPC.