NCBA Names Forrest Roberts CEO
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Jan. 29, 2009) — “This is a dream come true for a young man from southwest Texas,” grinned Forrest Roberts, during a Phoenix, Ariz., press conference. On Thursday, Jan. 29, during the 2009 Cattle Industry Annual Convention, Roberts spoke to media representatives for the first time since being named chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
It’s “Run, Forrest! Run!” as Forrest Roberts hurries to gain a grasp on his new role as NCBA’s chief executive officer
Raised on a diversified livestock operation that included a retail meat marketing enterprise, Roberts comes to NCBA from Elanco Animal Health. He says experience as a marketing executive taught him to “make good science-based decisions and use that to make sound business decisions.”
Roberts has previous NCBA involvement, in a volunteer capacity, during which his predecessor, Terry Stokes, served as a personal mentor. Roberts says Stokes and others on the “incredibly talented and committed” NCBA staff helped fuel his passion for the beef industry. He called NCBA similar to Elanco in that the association is team-focused and goal-oriented.
Roberts said he feels a sense of urgency to get up to speed on dynamic issues, but likened the process to drinking from a fire-hose. Initially, he plans to spend time with NCBA staffers in Washington, D.C., then step back and let them do what they do best. Roberts also plans to become more familiar with the work of the Governance Task Force and its consideration of changes to NCBA’s organizational structure.
As priorities for NCBA and the beef cattle industry, Roberts listed:
- maintain and grow beef demand domestically,
- gain foreign market access and grow beef exports, and
- build a more favorable business climate for beef producers.
“I want to contribute to NCBA’s role as a catalyst for creating opportunity and furthering the sustainability of current and future beef cattle operations,” Roberts stated.
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