William B. Wright
Deeth, Nevada
1946

With a sharp tongue, he attacked the BLM and Forest Service.  “Wording in the Taylor Grazing Act,” he argued, “meant equitable disposition of the public domain to permittees.”  He also opposed deficit spending, internationalism and free trade, and the “lack of understanding by the public of their dependence upon cattlemen.”  He fought to contain foot-and-mouth disease in Mexico .

Lawrence Brock
Wakefield, Nebraska
1947

A.A. Smith
Sterling, Colorado
1948

First rebuffed as a “half-breed,” being a cattle feeder, Smith was later accepted and loved.  Born in Ohio , he ranched in Wyoming , homesteaded in Idaho , and settled northeast of Sterling , Colorado , where he was the largest early feeder of wet beet pulp.  He became president of the Colorado Livestock PCA and director of two banks.  He opposed price controls, worked for an industry public relations plan and was the first to suggest ANLSA buy their own building in Denver .

Chauncey Watson
DeKalb, Illinois
1949

Loren C. Bamert
Ione , California
1950-1951

The youngest president to serve, he was elected at age 38.  Ten years before he was President of the California Cattlemen’s Association.  He was known for his fights against Korean War era price controls.  “The politicians knew price controls wouldn’t work,” he said, “but claimed they had to do it politically.  The politicians won, but it was a mess.”  In his term the Association changed its name to the American National Cattlemen’s Association.

Sam C. Hyatt
Hyattville, Wyoming
1952-1953

“Free markets make free men,” declared Hyatt, as he fought price controls and supports.  During the Korean War, cattle prices escalated nearly 50 percent, causing over expansion, then tumbled nearly, triggering a call for supports during the “Great Cattle Bust of 1953”  Hyatt, was well known and respected in Washington where he spent 40 days in 1953.  He served on numerous state and national commissions and advisory committees.

Ed Hollenbeck
Dixon, Illinois
1954

Jay Taylor
Amarillo, Texas
1955

“Mr. Beef Promotion” they called him.  Taylor was one of the only two association presidents to serve as Chairman of the Meat Board.  An affable and colorful character, he founded the National Beef Council, later the BIC of the Meat Board.  He was an advisor to four presidents and served on innumerable commissions and national corporate boards.