The North American Limousin Foundation is excited to introduce its new Director of Activities Tatum Swink, of Severance, Colo. Swink will lead the North American Junior Limousin Association and its 10-member board that serves all junior members of the historic NALJA association into the future.
Swink comes from a strong cattle background growing up on a small ranch in Perkins, Okla., and showed cattle extensively throughout her youth and as a 4-H member. Swink obtained her bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing from Oklahoma State University. While in college she worked for a seedstock operation in Oklahoma and interned at various shows including the Tulsa State Fair. Swink has also attended and helped youth exhibit their cattle at various junior national and major national livestock shows around the country.
After graduation at OSU, Swink moved to Colorado and took on the role of marketing and communications manager for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association for the last two years. Swink produced magazines, weekly electronic news communications, along with social media output and ad design work. She worked directly with ranchers and commercial cattle producers in the state of Colorado at the CCA.
Swink commented, “I’m excited to work with the junior board and youth membership at NALJA along with NALF members of the storied Limousin breed. I’m also eager to bring my passion and experience to an already outstanding program and help it progress and grow into the future. I look forward to meeting everyone and assist members in any way possible.”
Mark Anderson, executive director at NALF, said, “We are extremely excited to have Tatum join the team and work with our junior membership who have gone on to successful careers paths or became breeders that still belong to the association today with successful Limousin cattle operations. She possesses a diverse and unique skill set with strong cattle background, communication and leadership skills that will benefit both NALF and NALJA members into the future.”
Nebraska Ethanol Board hires Rhodes as executive director
The Nebraska Ethanol Board welcomed Ben Rhodes as its new executive director. Rhodes had been serving as interim executive director since Feb. 12 and was confirmed to the permanent position by a vote of the NEB on April 9.
“I’m honored and excited to lead the NEB moving forward,” Rhodes said. “This is a transformative time in the renewable fuels industry, with great progress made and many opportunities ahead. The NEB, as the only state agency in the country devoted to the promotion and development of the ethanol industry, is in prime position to capture and create value for our state’s producers. Under my administration, the NEB will continue and advance our diligent work on behalf of this state.”
Rhodes first joined the NEB staff in 2022 as the ethanol program manager. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the NEB’s research and technical projects, as well as contributing to policy and market development efforts. He holds a bachelor’s degree and has an MBA in progress, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“The NEB has a 50-year proven history of delivering results for the industry and Nebraska, and as executive director I will focus my efforts on continuing that trend,” Rhodes said. “I’d like to thank NEB board members and staff for their support, and I greatly look forward to working with Nebraska’s ethanol producers and our other partners to achieve the industry’s goals.”
