Meet Your Speakers

Mark Enns

Mark Enns is an assistant professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University (CSU), where he teaches and conducts research that focuses on methods to genetically evaluate and select animals that fit their production environment both biologically and economically. Some of his efforts include developing new methods for evaluating and improving cow and heifer fertility, adaptability to high-altitude environments, and developing selection methods to better use economic information for increased profitability. Enns was raised on his family’s fourth-generation wheat and cattle operation in northwest Oklahoma. He received both his master’s degree and doctorate from CSU.

Sally Northcutt

Sally Northcutt is the genetic research director at the American Angus Association. She works closely with the Performance Programs Department to coordinate research activities, production reviews, and application of the National Cattle Evaluation (NCE) and dollar value indexes ($Values). Before coming to the Association, Northcutt was a private consultant for individual producers and organizations, and was also an associate professor and Extension beef cattle breeding specialist for Oklahoma State University (OSU). She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky, and earned her doctorate in beef cattle breeding and genetics from Iowa State University.

Twig Marston

Twig Marston is the Kansas State University (K-State) beef Extension specialist in cow-calf management. His on-campus responsibilities include team-teaching beef science, organizing the cow-calf unit and implementing a statewide Extension program. He has instigated an outreach educational program designed to network Kansas cattle producers, as well as national and international beef producers. Marston currently serves as the executive director of the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF). He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from K-State and his doctorate from OSU.

Brad Morgan

Brad Morgan is an associate professor of animal science at OSU, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in meat science and technology, and he also conducts research on the quality, quantity, safety and usefulness of meat and meat products. His research is directed toward development of a rapid, accurate, objective method to predict the tenderness of youthful, grain-fed beef carcasses. He received the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) distinguished teaching award in 2005. He received his master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Texas A&M University, respectively.

Mike Kasten

Mike Kasten and his family own and operate Kasten Ranch, a commercial operation near Millersville, Mo. He has been producing cattle for more than 30 years and believes that low-cost production and production records are the keys to being profitable in the cattle business. He is president of the Missouri Show-Me Select Replacement Heifer program, a University of Missouri educational and marketing program targeted at improving production efficiency through increased use of existing technology. Kasten was the 2004 Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) Commitment to Excellence Award recipient, and is a past president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association.

Rod Nulik

Rod Nulik is the marketing manager for the beef cattle business group of Purina Mills, LLC, in Saint Louis, Mo. His responsibilities include developing brand strategy, as well as positioning and sales collateral material; developing and executing an advertising program; training program development for corporate sales and retailers; planning and conducting producer educational events; and business group communications. He started with Purina in 1982 as a management trainee and has also worked as a district sales manager and customer service manager. He is a K-State graduate and former vocational agriculture instructor and FFA advisor, where he mentored four state FFA officers and three American FFA degree recipients.