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Leadership



		Pat Binger *Chair, Wichita, Kansas* Pat Binger is vice president international, Cargill Protein North America. Binger has been in the red meat industry for more than 30 years, including 17 years directing Cargill’s overseas network of offices. Raised on a diversified farm in northeastern South Dakota and a graduate of Northern State University, Binger joined Cargill subsidiary Excel Corporation in 1987 and began specializing in international marketing in 1991.

		Mark Swanson *Chair-elect, Henderson, Colorado* Mark Swanson is Chief Executive Officer of Birko Corporation. He has more than 20 years of professional experience with some of the most respected institutions in the protein industry, including Iowa Beef Processors, ConAgra Foods and Swift & Company. He is a member of the National Meat Association, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, the United Fresh Produce Association, the North American Meat Institute and Vistage International, a global network for chief executives. Swanson earned a BS in agriculture business and an executive MBA, both from Colorado State University, and is president of the CSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Mr. Swanson frequently makes presentations on food safety to industry groups, government agencies and graduate degree programs.

		Dean Meyer *Vice Chair, Rock Rapids, Iowa* Dean Meyer, a corn, soybean and livestock producer from Rock Rapids, Iowa, is a director of the Iowa Corn Growers Association. He has also served as chair of the Iowa Corn Animal Agriculture and Environment Committee and the Lyon County (Iowa) Pork Producers.

		Randy Spronk *Secretary-Treasurer, Edgerton, Minnesota* A past president of the National Pork Producers Council and the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, Randy Spronk serves on the board of directors of Wholestone Farms and is president and managing partner for Spronk Brothers Holding, which includes operations that produce pork and feedgrains, along with feed milling and delivery.

		Dan Halstrom *President and CEO, Denver, Colorado* As USMEF president and CEO, Dan Halstrom oversees and coordinates programs and activities in 18 regions around the world. Halstrom works to ensure that the federation creates new opportunities and develops existing international markets for U.S. beef, pork, lamb and veal. Dan also oversees USMEF’s relations with its membership and the industry and works closely with all nine sectors of the federation. Dan joined USMEF in 2010 after 27 years in the meat industry with Swift & Company, originally based in Chicago (now doing business as JBS based in Greeley, Colorado). As USMEF senior vice president of marketing, Dan was responsible for coordination of programs facilitating the marketing of U.S. beef, pork, and lamb. In addition, Dan oversaw industry relations and membership activities for USMEF. Dan assumed the role of USMEF president in September 2017 and became president and CEO on December 1, 2017. He is an ex officio member of the USMEF Executive Committee. Dan began his role at Swift as a management trainee, and spent several years at the plant level before moving into commercial sales and eventually into international sales where he spent most of his career. As senior vice president of the international division for Swift/JBS (2000-2010), he oversaw global beef and pork operations for the world’s largest red meat company. Dan was also an active member of USMEF for many years, including various volunteer positions and officer roles with the USMEF Executive Committee from 2005-2007, which culminated as Chairman in 2008. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Dan was born and raised near Cherokee, Iowa, on a 1,000-acre grain farm with a 3,000-head cattle backgrounding operation.

USMEF Executive Committee


Rosemary Vinton Anderson Federation of State Beef Councils Whitman, NE	Janet Archer National Pork Board Goldsboro, NC	Carlos Barba American Lamb Board Blue Island, IL	Neal Bredehoeft United Soybean Board Alma, MO	Dave Bruntz Feedgrains Producing Friend, NE	John Butler At Large Manhattan, KS	Will Frazee Farm Organizations Emerson, IA	Steve Hanson Beef/Veal Producing & Feeding Elsie, NE

David Herring Pork Producing & Feeding Lillington, NC	Jennie Hodgen Supply and Service Organizations Roachdale, IN	Cevin Jones Immediate Past Chair, Eden, Idaho	Mark Legan Oilseeds Producing Coatesville, IN	Rob Preska Purveying/Trading Bloomington, MN	Jack Shao At Large Austin, MN	Jimmy Taylor Cattlemen’s Beef Board Cheyenne, OK	Jay Theiler Packing/Processing Boise, ID