FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KINGSVILLE, TEXAS (Aug. 22, 2018)—The King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management (KRIRM) welcomed the third cohort of its Excellence in Ag Leadership Program last week in Kingsville, Texas, at the John B. Armstrong Lectureship on Systems Thinking.
KRIRM Excellence in Ag Leadership Program participants completed the systems thinking lectureship to kick off the one-year distance education training.
The Excellence in Ag Leadership Program, a distance-education program designed to further develop the next generation of leaders in the ranching industry, began in 2014 with its inaugural class in partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). This year’s class of high-potential leaders includes nine ranching professionals from 7 states. The program also includes five KRIRM ranch management graduate students.
Kicking off the one-year program at the systems thinking lectureship, an annual event that is part of the KRIRM lectureship suite for ranching stakeholders, the participants learned how to use the concept of systems thinking to discuss questions and issues facing the agricultural industry and their ranching operations. Along with 34 additional lectureship attendees, the leadership participants were able to network with a diverse group of ranchers.
As part of the leadership program, the group will attend two more KRIRM lectureships that focus on strategic planning and managing farm and ranch employees. A 360-degree leadership assessment and extraordinary leadership workshop will also be conducted at the 2019 NCBA convention in New Orleans, La. Individuals will collect leadership perception feedback from direct reports, peers, and managers; by the end of the workshop, participants will understand how they are perceived as leaders and will have a clear understanding of how they can become a more effective leader.
The group networked with other individuals in attendance at the systems thinking lectureship, working in teams to address ranching issues with a systems perspective.
Other components of the program will include individualized leadership coaching and attendance at the summer NCBA business meeting. This workshop will outline the next steps for the group to become involved in the cattle industry at the state and/or national level.
Guiding the group on their leadership journey is KRIRM Associate Instructor Kim McCuistion, PhD. Senior Director of Governance and Leadership Development Barb Wilkinson of NCBA also works closely with the group to help them develop their leadership skills, representing the commitment of both organizations to further develop these young leaders. McCuistion expressed her hope in the impact the leadership program will have on participant’s involvement in the industry.
“We believe that the development of great leaders is an important leverage point in the ranching industry,” said McCuistion. “It is our commitment to help this group develop their skills to be effective leaders in their organizations and the industry.”
About KRIRM
Formed in 2003, KRIRM is a ranch management master’s program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville created in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the legendary King Ranch. As the only ranch management master’s program in the world, KRIRM teaches graduate students using a multi-disciplinary, systems approach to ranch management. KRIRM also provides rancher learning opportunities through high quality lectureships and symposia to stakeholders in the ranching industry. For more information about KRIRM, visit krirm.tamuk.edu.
CONTACT: Ashley Patterson, ashley.charanza@tamuk.edu
###