by Chris Ivie, Eastern Region
As I try to gather my thoughts for my last Viewpoint as an ASA Trustee, thoughts are running through my head about how much I have learned over the past six years.
One of the biggest reality checks for me was just how much more there is to the American Simmental Association, beyond registering cattle. The ASA is such a dynamic operation, and until you spend time behind the scenes, you cannot truly appreciate what all goes on day to day. The ASA has something to offer to anyone producing beef today, which includes everything from raising registered seedstock to running commercial cattle.
We have gone through some changes over the last 18 months with Dr. Shafer retiring, and the hiring of his successor, Dr. Jon DeClerck. As expected, it takes a little time for things to fall into place, but the Board of Trustees, staff, partners, and membership have embraced the direction this organization is going. With this momentum, it’s almost impossible to stop the locomotive from barreling down the tracks. Since I started serving as a trustee six years ago, we have heard our membership and partners express concerns over our “speed of commerce.” The trustees and staff of the ASA have heard you loud and clear! As many — if not all of you — know, the ASA has launched five new EPD over the last year, and have just launched a research release of the updated $API and $TI indexes. All these new tools not only give SimGenetics breeders more firepower, but they also give our partners (and more importantly the commercial breeders) that same added firepower when making breeding and purchasing decisions. It’s a win-win for the entire beef industry.
The AJSA National Classic continues to be a premier event each and every year, and 2026 was as good as it gets. Our staff, along with an army of volunteers, put on a first-class event for all ages. My eight-year-old granddaughter, Eleanor, attended her first National Classic this year as a novice, and had an absolute blast. I must also say that this year’s theme was great, and in my opinion, the music used in the background was the best ever. The depth of quality in the cattle was remarkable on both days! The Owned division is always competitive, but I want to give a shout-out to the Bred and Owned division, which has become very competitive. My hat goes off to all these amazing young Simmental breeders who are the future of this breed. A big thank you to Mia Bayer, Chance Ujazdowski, and their crew for always knocking it out of the park!
What an honor and privilege it has been to serve the ASA membership over the past six years. It has been humbling to say the least! I believe God put all of us here to be good stewards of what he has given us, and we know he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. I strive each and every day to do just that — be a good steward — and my prayer is that I have been a good steward to this membership during my tenure as a trustee. One of the best things about serving on the ASA Board of Trustees is the people it has allowed me to meet along the way, many whom I would likely have never gotten to know. I’m thankful for the opportunity to make new lifelong friends.
In closing I want to thank Dr. DeClerck for agreeing to become our EVP. Jon has done a remarkable job and works tirelessly to not just maintain the status quo, but he has demonstrated that he and his staff are looking ahead years down the road to make improvements for the betterment of the ASA membership, as well as the global beef industry. One of the most obvious ways to see Dr. DeClerck’s great work is through the recruitment of talented people, adding to the depth of ASA’s already talented staff.
I’m a baseball guy, and when I served as Chairman, my slogan for the year was: “You will never steal second base if you keep your foot on first base.”
In my opinion, as I look at the progress the ASA is making, I think we have not only stolen second base as an organization, but we have hit a grand slam! John 3:16.
