Just like that, my first year as OCW President has come and gone! It feels like yesterday that I was writing my first presidential article to you all and yet here we are. I want to start by saying a great big THANK YOU to each and every one of you that have been supportive, engaged and an active member this past year. The Oklahoma CattleWomen are nothing without our members!

There have been so many highlights from the last year, and I would like to share a few of my favorites. Immediately following last year’s Oklahoma Cattle Convention, we traveled to the rescheduled Annual Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, TN. We then had the joy of seeing our national CattleWomen again in Houston, TX just a few short months later. OCW has always had a large involvement in the American National CattleWomen and this year was no different! We now have Okies serving as the ANCW Vice President, Region IV Director and PR Chairman as well as regional representatives on multiple committees. I am proud to see so many of our members actively promoting the beef industry on a national stage.

My presidential travels don’t stop there! I have had the honor of attending several county cattlewomen meetings with more on the calendar. Each county organization has amazed me with their passions for beef and ongoing events. As an alumna of the Oklahoma Collegiate Cattlewomen, I was overjoyed to be their guest speaker not once but twice this school year. It’s a great reminder of how I started in OCW and the many memories I have made along the way.

Through my presidential platform, Cultivating CattleWomen, we have seen over 100 CattleWomen grow in their knowledge and success as ranchers through hands on experiences and trainings. With the support and sponsorship of the Kelli Payne and the Oklahoma National Stockyards, we have hosted two events this year and are looking forward to returning next year! Watching women learning new techniques and become confident in themselves as ranchers has been the most rewarding experience.

There have been some new and exciting OCW events as well. In the fall I attended the Beef Around the World Dinner coordinated by President-Elect Connie Tab

or and the Ways and Means Committee. It was a gorgeous night of fellowship under the stars! The spring brought forth the OCW Read An Ag Book Week that was coordinated by OCW Education Chairman, Peggy Castleberry, and was a great success. I cannot express the joy I felt reading to my daughter’s class about cattle and seeing her shine with excitement to tell her friends about her cows. Just recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Oklahoma Lt. Governor, Matt Pinnell, with a wonderful group of CattleWomen for Beef For Father’s Day. OCW Treasurer, Meg Stangl, led the charge as we represented women in the cattle community at our state’s capitol. This year we also saw the rise and growth of the OCW Beef Certificate Program. Beef Promotion Chair, Amarie Griffeth, has created a new system that directly connects consumers with producers and grocers! Another new product of the year is the newly launched OCW website and database. This has allowed OCW to better connect with our members, coordinate events and promote the Oklahoma cattle industry all in one place. Our secretary, Becca Imgarten, has been working hard to ensure the website, newsletter and social media accounts are always up to date for everyone to stay connected.

Do you see a theme here? Of all the opportunities I have been so fortunate to be a

 part of this last year, working with a team of women that put the cattle community first and have a passion for what they do has absolutely been the best highlight of all. I would love to list each and every CattleWoman that has given their time, abilities and love to this organization but then they would have to print another issue of the Cowman just to fit it all! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything.

I cannot wait to see what is in store for the next year! Until then, wishing you Beef & Blessings!