Sean Kelly - 6666's Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-5409

Sean Kelly comes to the King Ranch Institute from Winner, South Dakota. He graduated from Western Dakota Vo-Tech in 1997 with an Associates Degree in Ag-Business. Sean then worked on the Trask Ranch in Wasta, South Dakota following graduation, and then as a pen-rider for the Ten West Feedlot in Elgin, Nebraska. He returned to his hometown of Winner to work for Pravecek Farms for 3 years, in addition to running his own cow/calf and back-grounding operation. Sean returned to school in 2002 and graduated from South Dakota State University in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in Range Science. He worked as a rangeland management specialist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Sharon Springs, Coldwater, Manhattan, and South Hutchinson, Kansas. Sean joins the KRIRM to expand his knowledge about the systems approach to learning and problem solving as it relates to the ranching industry, as well as on public lands and within federal agencies.

Les Nunn - Hilliard Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-5409

Les Nunn has spent the last three years in the Hells Canyon area of Eastern Oregon. He was employed by Idaho Power Company as a Park Supervisor, overseeing four developed parks, various dispersed recreation areas and ten employees. Shortly prior to his employment with Idaho Power, Les received his B.S. degree in Resource Recreation and Tourism from the University of Idaho. He minored in Outdoor Recreation Leadership. Before attending the University of Idaho, Les went to Rick’s College where he received an associate’s degree in Recreation Education. This degree course was decided upon because of his enthusiasm for ranching and the outdoors. The intent was that his ranching experience combined with the recreation and tourism degree would be an excellent combination for the rapidly growing ranch tourism industry.

Between going to Rick’s College and the U of I, Les met his wife Hollis. They now have three children, Declan, Taycee and McKensie. Les and Hollis were both raised in a ranching environment and share an interest in this lifestyle. Les was raised in a small ranching and logging community in central British Columbia, Canada. Ranching has played a major part in his family’s life for many generations. It has also played a major part in his life as he was riding the dusty cow trails with his dad, breaking colts, penning cattle at the local sale barn and working for different ranches throughout the years. Even though Les had a positive experience and gained some valuable management skills working for Idaho Power he couldn’t help but feel as though he had diverted from the trail he originally set out on. Les believes the KRIRM program will serve as the link he has been looking for to get back on the path and into the industry he is passionate about. When finished with the KRIRM program, Les would like to begin his ranch management career by working as a division manager, especially with a Quarter Horse division. He is confident this will allot him the time needed to continue to gain more knowledge and skills and increase his ranching experience before moving into general ranch management.

David Rios - Kenedy Foundation Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-5408
ksdrr01-at-tamuk.edu

David was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley of deep South Texas. Family hunting excursions sparked early interests in wildlife management and sound land stewardship. While studying for a Bachelor of Science in Range and Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, David spent three summers as an intern with the Wildlife Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He was then employed as a Research Technician for the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute’s South Texas Quail Project. After graduating, during the fall of 2000, David began his career as Ranch Biologist and Hunting Lease Manager for the historic El Sauz Ranch. The highly diversified agricultural operation at El Sauz Ranch included dry-land farming, aquaculture and gas leases in addition to hunting lease and ranching enterprises. David worked closely with the ranch’s ownership, legal staff and General Manager on issues that extended far beyond his training as a Biologist. This opened his eyes to the multi-faceted nature of modern ranch management and has been the catalyst to his interest in general ranch management. David has come to King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management to gain a multi-disciplinary, systems approach to ranch management, as innovation will be critical to success.
David volunteers as a Texas Big Game Awards Scorer and an Official Measurer for Boone & Crockett Club. As a hobby, he instructs Hunter Education and Concealed Handgun Courses. His professional memberships include Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Wildlife Association and Texas Farm Bureau.

Austin Anderson - ExxonMobil Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-4229
ksaha01-at-tamuk.edu

Austin Anderson, his wife, Ellie, and their two-year-old daughter, Rylee, come to the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management from the RO Ranch in the high desert of Smoky Valley, Nevada. At the RO, Austin was the Cow Boss of their 2,000 cow operation. His duties included management of an 8oo head feedlot facility and a 250 head heifer herd. In December 2004 Austin graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana with a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Education. While in school, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Montana State University Research Farm. There, he learned about the essential roles of research and continued education in the advancement of the ranching industry. After graduating from Montana State, Austin worked for two years at the Double T Ranch in Babb, Montana, where he assisted in the breeding program for their Stabilizer bull operation in cooperation with Leachman Cattle Company. Having ranched with his family in Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana, Austin’s entire life has been centered in agriculture. Seeing an animal grow, thrive, and produce is very fulfilling for him. He has acquired skills and character that he desires to pass on to his children through the ranching lifestyle. Through the KRIRM program, Austin hopes to successfully manage a ranch and use his abilities to make the ranching industry better for generations to come.

Delane Atcitty - Clement Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-4104
delane.atcitty-at-tamuk.edu

Delane Atcitty signed on to the King Ranch Institute as a new graduate assistant in the fall semester of 2007. He brings with him over 15 years experience in the livestock industry and is a welcome addition to the King Ranch Institute. Prior to joining KRIRM, Delane was residing in Goodwell, Oklahoma, where he attended Oklahoma Panhandle State University and received his bachelor degree in Agribusiness with a minor in Animal Science. While enrolled at OPSU, he was employed as a pen rider for Hitch Enterprises and also a research assistant for the Oklahoma State University Extension Service. As a research assistant, he was involved in a project exploring distiller grain effects on beef cattle production. Delane has held various jobs in the industry ranging from: cowboy work, volunteering in the training of herd health and Beef Quality Assurance, teaching horseshoeing workshops for tribal entities, local ranchers, and running a successful certified farrier service. Delane is a proud member of the Navajo Nation and Taos Pueblo tribes which occupy most of northern Arizona and part of northeastern New Mexico. Delane realized in his youth, while ranching with his grandfather near the Rio Grande River, that working with livestock and nature was his desire. Delane is looking forward to learning how a systems approach to cattle production, business management, range management and wildlife management will produce a flourishing and successful ranching operation.

Steve Udy - Bass Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-4104
ksspu00-at-tamuk.edu

Steve Udy comes to the institute from Deseret Cattle and Citrus (DCC) in central Florida where he was employed for 13 years. At DCC he was responsible for the north end of the ranch in which he oversaw approximately 50,000 acres of improved and unimproved pastures; consisting mainly of bahia grass. With the assistance of 3 foreman and 5 cowboys, they oversaw the production of 9000 cows, the maintenaence of pastures, and currently the development of 5000 additional acres from native land to improved pastures.
Other responsibilities held in his tenure at DCC were marketing of cull animals, development of replacement heifers, overseeing of stocker animals in Georgia, and organizing the shipping and weaning process.
Prior to DCC, Steve received his B.S. degree from BYU with a minor in business. He grew up in southeastern Idaho on a purebred Hereford and Red angus ranch which was a partnership between his father, Richard and his uncle. The operation also consisted of hay, wheat, and barley production.
Steve is happily married to Lori Welch of Bartow, Florida and they have two kids: Austin 6 and Mikayla 4. They are excited to be in south Texas and are grateful for the opportunities provided by the King Ranch Institute For Ranch Management and for those individuals and corporations that have made this program possible.

Doug Wilmeth - Tio Kleberg Fellow
KRIRM
MSC 137
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363-8202
(361) 593-4104
jack.wilmeth-at-tamuk.edu

Doug Wilmeth was born and raised in southeastern New Mexico in what is primarily ranch country. His family was involved with cow-calf and stocker operations as well as the feed yard industry. In 1988 he graduated with an Associates Degree in Electronic Engineering Technology. He worked 10 years installing and maintaining computer network systems, satellite communication systems, and video teleconferencing for the military as well as academia and commercial industry. After layoffs in the 90’s his roots of agriculture called him back to college where he graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science from Texas State University in 2000. Upon graduation he went to work as a foreman on the historic Callaghan Ranch in Webb County down by Laredo Texas. He worked in all phases of this 2500 head cow-calf and commercial deer hunting operation. He was also in charge of heifer development as well as weaning, processing, and assisted as a guide during deer season. Doug has spent his last four and half years working with the USDA as a meat grader in Amarillo, Texas. He has worked in all the major plants in the U.S. from Swift, Excel, Tyson, and National Beef. He personally graded 1000 head per day providing quality and yield grades to carcasses. He has provided carcass data for producers, feeders, and college research teams. His duties included the certification of carcass programs such as Certified Angus Beef, Certified Hereford, Nolan Ryan, and all A40 maturity carcasses for export to Japan. The knowledge gained of looking at daily and evaluating good and bad cattle and knowing what the industry wants has been priceless. Doug has come full circle in the beef industry from cow-calf to feed yard to the packing plant and with King Ranch Institute would like to tie it all together to become a ranch manager who can utilize the systems approach in ranch management.