Sara Scott
Vice President, Foodservice
Certified since 2007
- Sara oversees everything from chain development to cultivating key strategies for growth and delivering educational solutions to advance partners’ presence in the marketplace.
- “I love being able to connect people from gate to plate, to serve as the bridge between our cattlemen and our end-users.“
Kevin Brown
Motivational Speaker & Author
- Spent two decades as a sales and marketing executive that helped grow a little-known family business into an industry giant with annual revenues reaching two billion dollars.
- Author of The Hero Effect® (2017/2019) and Unleashing Your Hero (Harper
Collins Leadership/Nov 2021).
- “Passionate about helping people expand their vision, develop their potential, and grow their results“.
Dan Owolabi
Executive Director, Branches Worldwide
Inspiring Leaders since 2003.
- Author Dan Owolabi transforms his experience as a college athlete, educator and pastor to help people develop genuine, effective leadership by clarifying their identity and leveraging their influence to serve others.
- “Choose to be an Authentic Leader. People will follow someone who’s always REAL over someone who’s always RIGHT.”
Chef Vinnie Cimino
Operating Partner & Executive Chef
2023 Certified Angus Beef Chef of the Year
- ‘Cleveland Chef to Watch’, Vinnie Cimino, has built a reputation for combining culinary talent and entrepreneurial spirit to drive team goodwill and industry recognition. He now reunites with Andrew Watts on a shared vision for Cordelia, bringing a bounty of farm-fresh ingredients to the table.
- As Chef de Cuisine for The Greenhouse Tavern, Vinnie nurtured relationships with dozens of local Ohio farmers to inspire seasonal menus, contributing to the restaurant’s James Beard award. Additionally, during this time, Vinnie partnered alongside General Manager Andrew Watts, and through their shared dedication to the guest and staff experience, they established the most successful and positive working environment of the restaurant’s era.
Ken Eifrid
Director, Business Development
Certified since 2019
- Ken thrives on sourcing successful solutions for foodservice and retail partners seeking value-added products and beyond. He also enjoys serving as a conduit for independent meat companies to bring their value to foodservice end users.
- “You have to be motivated to sell, and the Certified Angus Beef ® brand provides that genuine excitement. It makes authentic salespeople, and that’s why it was an easy decision for me to work here.”
Clint Walenciak
Vice President, Product Services
Certified since 2000
- Clint leads communications with the USDA to uphold the brand’s quality certification and provides partners with product availability forecasts and market trends to guide their business decisions.
- “The best parts of working for the brand are the quality it represents and the opportunity to work with the dedicated people across our community.”
Steve Ringle
Executive Vice President, Business Development
Certified since 2001
- Steve leads strategic planning, customer development and the pursuit of new foodservice, retail, manufacturing and international business, with a focus on increasing customer success and optimizing product availability.
- “I love that I work for a brand that brings people together and helps them to be successful. It is rewarding to know that working with our licensee base to build demand positively affects the lives of family farmers and ranchers raising quality Angus cattle.”
Daniel Clark, Ph.D.
Meat Scientist
Certified since 2019
- Daniel advances distributor, chef and retailer knowledge of the brand’s quality through beef fabrication at The Culinary Center, and guides research initiatives to ensure consistently superior product performance.
- “I enjoy my job—the research and education piece. Putting the two together with our partners sparks innovation and conversation. It’s really the people and their willingness to learn that make it fun.”
Kelly Murray
Director, Foodservice Marketing
Certified since 2013
- Kelly leads restaurant partnerships and prospective partner outreach, working to cultivate brand champions and engage them with profitable menu, marketing and training solutions.
- “Our partners, particularly restaurant operators, are some of the most resilient people. Even when they have a tough year, we continue to hear of their fortitude. I’m confident they will forge ahead stronger than ever because that is just who they are: leaders who don’t quit.”
Tony Biggs
Director, Culinary Arts
Certified since 2014
- Chef Tony sets culinary vision for the brand and The Culinary Center and elevates the brand’s presence on the plate and relevance to chefs and restaurateurs worldwide through innovation and media appearances.
- “Working for the brand allows me to be as creative as I want to be. The meals my team and I prepare are the result of the brand trusting us to serve the best-in-class experiences for our guests.“
Leah Ryneer
Account Marketing Manager
Certified since 2022.
- Leah supports partners with marketing, training and product solutions to help them succeed and grow their businesses.
- “My favorite part about my job is the variety of partners I get to interact with and being able to help them grow their beef businesses.”
Drianna Lewis
Manager, Prepared & Packaged Marketing Services
Certified since 2016
- Drianna develops marketing plans, creates labels and sales sheets, and assists value-added product processors with promoting their new and existing products.
- “I love having the opportunity to work in such a unique area of our business. Value-added products are growing and I’m thankful to work closely in supporting our processors on elevating their products.”
Neil Johnson
Executive Account Manager, Northwest
Certified since 2022
- Neil helps partners grow their Certified Angus Beef ® sales by providing education, resources and motivation to promote and protect the very best beef.
- “Interacting with partners makes my job so exciting, and I’m motivated every day by the hardworking farming and ranching families we get to support.”
Deanna Walenciak
Vice President, Domestic Brand Marketing
Certified since 1996
- Deanna leads the areas of customer marketing solutions, brand experience and the Culinary Center with a passion to engage and elevate partners and help them maximize the power of the brand.
- “It is energizing to see the momentum build and innovation explode with our partners at the Culinary Center, events and today online around a shared passion to market the best Angus beef.”
Diana Clark
Assistant Director, Research and Education
Certified since 2015
- Diana inspires by leading and providing research that elevates the brand’s position in the market and our partners’ successes while leading high-impact training and beef fabrication for our global partners.
- “I love experiencing meat and developing relationships with people from all over the world. Through different backgrounds, languages and experiences, we come together around a side of beef.”
Randy Whittemore
Executive Account Manager, South
Certified since 2002
- Randy puts education first when he’s speaking with retailers and foodservice distributors. He cares about their business decisions and shares resources to help them make the best ones.
- “For me, it’s about taking the industry to a better place than when I found it. I want to pass along what I know to help others and the brand allows me to do that.“
Beverly Linhoss
Senior Account Marketing Manager
Certified since 2021
- Beverly helps foodservice and retail partners reach their marketing goals by connecting them to the right tools and resources for their businesses.
- “I love every aspect of my job, but working with foodservice distributors and hearing their stories has a special place on my to-do list.”
Kirsten Nickles, Ph.D.
Sustainability & Animal Care Scientist
Certified since 2022
- Kirsten leads sustainability and cattle care initiatives and serves as a technical expert to positively influence the future of beef production while also communicating successes in these areas with consumers.
- “Decisions we make today affect the many family farms and ranches, including my family’s, making up the beef industry. I love getting to play a part in those decisions, all while sharing our producers’ success stories with consumers.”
Amanda Barstow
Senior Director, Brand Engagement
Certified since 1995
- Amanda leads creative, proactive strategies to welcome new partners and set them up for success through branding and trademark use on menus, in stores, on materials, in media and beyond.
- “I love the authenticity of the brand—from its science-based specifications and grassroots beginnings to its global reach today. There’s an energy in our community that promotes positivity and continuous improvement.”
Natalie Ramseyer
Associate Manager, Brand Engagement
Certified since 2020
- Natalie assists in onboarding partners and strengthening brand relationships, serving as the bridge between new licensees and the sales-marketing team ready to help them succeed.
- “I love working with small businesses and the international team. It’s always exciting learning about different businesses and cultures.”
Mike McReynolds
Executive Account Manager, South Central
Certified since 2019
- Mike puts education first to ensure partners understand the brand’s mission while also leading foodservice and retail customers to achieve marketing, merchandising and sales success.
- “I love the educational side of my job and helping people understand the importance of the beef community.“
Josh Ennis
Executive Account Manager, Southeast
Certified since 2021
- Josh uses his three decades of foodservice experience to help chefs, meat case managers and sales representatives promote the very best beef and answer questions from their customers.
- “I look forward to working with partners and helping brand specialists find their passion for the brand. I had a lot of great role models when I was a specialist, so I hope to be one to others.”
Kurt Brockhaus
Executive Account Manager, North Central
Certified since 2017
- Kurt works closely with foodservice and retail customers to bring great-tasting beef to the table. He enjoys helping accounts succeed through real-life experiences that bridge the gap between purchasing, pricing and marketing.
- “I can only sell something I totally believe in, and the brand’s integrity and quality make it the only product I want to sell.”
Cathy McVay
Senior Account Marketing Manager
Certified since 2016
- Cathy is passionate about foodservice, restaurant and retail partners to grow customer loyalty and sales through innovative promotions, trainings and custom materials.
- “What I love the most about working for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is knowing that I directly contribute to the brand’s mission, but also the partnerships and friendships I’ve made with coworkers to ranchers to foodservice and retail partners.”
Wes Zimmerman
Executive Account Manager, Midwest
Certified since 2017
- Wes brings years of sales experience to foodservice distributors, restaurants and retailers with a constant focus on advising them to be increasingly successful. He enjoys training sales staff, breaking it down in the Meat Lab and sharing ranch stories.
- “My promise to North American farm and ranch families is simple: if you dedicate your life to raising high-quality, Angus-influenced cattle that meet Certified Angus Beef ® standards, I’ll dedicate my career to ensure every pound you produce is sold.”
