Page 8 - WCA December Ketch Pen 2020

HEADQUARTERS
From Your EVP
8
The advent of the virtual convention
Happy Holidays, WCA members and friends! I hope this finds you healthy and comforted with the peace this season often brings.
If you tuned in on November 10th, you know we wrapped up the first-ever virtual convention for WCA. This was no small fête; and I would personally like to thank our WCA staff and leadership who brought a positive attitude and seriousness to an unprecedented task. I would also like to thank
our satellite station hosts, sponsors and donors for their support and loyalty to WCA. But most of
all, I’d like to thank our members that inspire us to persevere and bring you the information and updates important to your business, no matter the challenges or circumstances.
We were fortunate enough to have a respectable showing of committee chairs who delivered committee reports on everything from public lands issues to live cattle marketing and price discovery. Mark Streuli, WCA’s lobbyist, provided some great insight about the upcoming legislative issues he expects WCA will engage in, including, but not limited to, Board of Health rulemaking as it pertains to livestock producers, ag overtime pay, regulatory burdens, and more. The legislative session will also convene virtually, but that will certainly not dilute our fight on your behalf.
After a successful art auction benefitting our fire relief fund, there was much additional cause for celebration with the election of our new officer leadership! I have complete confidence in the abilities of our new President, Don Blakemore, as well as Jeff Keane and Branden Brink who will hold
the first and second vice president positions. Don brings an approachability that will be a most valued asset to WCA in a time a more cynical lot would deem bewilderingly inapproachable. I am excited to work with these wise and enthusiastic leaders on into 2021.
As we round out a strange year, I hope you will join me in looking forward. We have a great deal of work ahead of us and the need to grow our membership
is as imperative as ever. Join in helping us recruit, join in the policy conversations, or help us with our engagement activities as a volunteer. We’re grateful for our members this season and the tenacity you have shown in the field and beyond—let’s carry that same resilience and ingenuity into 2021!
Left to right: Sam Ledgewood-Past President, Don Blakemore-President, Jeff Keane-1st Vice President, Branden Brink-2nd Vice President
Ketch Pen www.washingtoncattlemen.org
December 2020