“We’re getting input and talking through our office team, executive committee, state affiliates and state beef councils to put together a search team that will involve every segment of the industry and also every region,” says Wyoming rancher and NCBA President Phillip Ellis. “It’s broad based and balanced, so we have a real grassroots effort to find the right CEO for NCBA.”
Currently the NCBA leaders and executive committee are reviewing the CEO job description and discussing the criteria for applicants. Ellis says the search for the new CEO was extensively discussed at the recent NCBA summer conference in Denver, Colorado.
“I want to see someone with a very positive energetic leadership that also understands all the segments of the industry,” Ellis says. “Someone with good common sense of agriculture, and a vision and leadership to help us realize our opportunities.”
Ellis hopes the new CEO will be appointed by January for the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Tradeshow (NCBA’s annual winter convention), but finding the right person for the job is more important than a time frame, according to Ellis.
The NCBA has an extensive policy division and worked hard to support the recently passed Trade Promotion Authority that will open more countries to beef exports. Along with trade, Ellis says that understanding the millennial consumer and being able to communicate with them is very important to the beef industry.
“Those are two things that are on our plate this year, and will be on our plate in the future,” Ellis says. “We’ll look to a new CEO to provide leadership.”
NCBA’s chief operating officer, Kendal Frazier, has been with the organization for 30 years and is operating as the interim CEO.
“Kendal has the organizational history and a very positive leadership style,” Ellis says. “We are doing well with him as the interim CEO.”
NCBA’s previous CEO, Forrest Roberts, resigned in June after holding the position for six years.
“We appreciate what he did for the association,” Ellis says. “But as we always are in life, we are moving on. We have a great future, and we are moving forward.” 
