BEEF INDUSTRY LEADERS OPEN "GATEWAY TO LEADERSHIP"

CHICAGO (September 29, 1998) - Nearly 60 beef producers, representing more than 25 beef industry organizations, met in St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 17-19 for the tenth annual Cattlemen’s Leadership Institute. "Gateway to Leadership," sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), in association with Purina Mills Inc. and Roche Animal Nutrition and Health, featured speakers who presented a variety of tools to improve participants’ leadership skills.

In "The Positive Power of Change — Get Over It," participants learned the importance of taking control of their actions and how to find opportunities in changing situations. During other sessions, like "Leading Today’s Associations," presented by Jack Schlegel, and "Creating Successful Volunteers," attendees learned about the styles of leadership necessary for association leadership and making the most of limited resources.

A workshop on parliamentary procedure focused on effectively managing meetings, while a session entitled "Associations and the Law — What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You" presented legal issues of importance to association leadership, such as antitrust, tax and liability information.

The institute also included a tour of the Purina Mills Research Center in St. Louis.

Janice Connelly of Mountain City, Nev., president-elect of American National Cattlewomen, said the institute was, "very helpful. I wish I had gone several years ago, because I certainly could have used the information then in development for my present position."

Connelly added she found Jack Schlegel’s presentations on committee development of particular interest.

"It was a tremendous conference," said NCBA Vice President George Hall of Oklahoma City, who hosted the event. "The speakers involved were top-notch, and I certainly thought they met the needs of the attendees. The sponsors, Roche and Purina Mills, were very helpful."

-- NCBA --

Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.