NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – On Jan. 17, members of the Indiana Beef Cattle Association (IBCA) gathered at the Embassy Suites Hotel for the 2026 IBCA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet. IBCA members came together for fellowship and to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Indiana’s beef industry. The Robert C. Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Loran Wilson, of Orleans, Ind. Wilson, along with his wife Kathy, operates Wilson Angus, a family-owned beef cattle operation rooted in generations of dedication to agriculture. Known for raising high-quality freezer beef and marketing breeding stock capable of improving both registered and commercial herds, Wilson has built a reputation founded on integrity, quality and family values. His leadership extends beyond the farm through service on the American Angus Association board of directors, the Indiana Beef Cattle Association board, and numerous agricultural organizations throughout Orange County. His lifelong commitment to cattle, community, and the Angus breed has left a lasting impact on Indiana’s beef industry. The IBCA Cattleman of the Year Award was presented to Leah Meinders, of Milan, Ind. Alongside her husband Jeff, she operates Clear Water Simmentals, a purebred Simmental operation known for its focus on performance, quality and practical beef production. Meinders is deeply involved in all aspects of the operation and is widely respected for her work ethic, innovation and dedication to continuous improvement. In addition to her work on the farm, she has created opportunities for fellow breeders through hosting multiple sales each year and organizing family-friendly customer appreciation events. Meinders is also actively involved with the Indiana Simmental Association, American Simmental Association, Indiana Beef Cattle Association, and serves on the Simmental Breeders Sweepstakes board of directors. The IBCA Outstanding Young Cattleman Award was presented to Chris Muegge. Using his background in ruminant nutrition, Muegge has built a progressive beef operation focused on efficiency, environmental stewardship and education. He formulates rations across all segments of his beef business and has implemented innovative feeding strategies to improve cattle performance. He is also actively engaged in seedstock production, marketing bulls to commercial producers across the Midwest and Southeast. A strong advocate for continuing education, Muegee regularly attends and presents at industry meetings and seminars while also serving his local community through farm bureau leadership, youth programs and agricultural education. The IBCA Friend of the Beef Industry Award was presented to Greg Beavers. Greg devoted more than four decades of service to the Indiana beef cattle industry through his career with Select Sires and Central Star Cooperative. Known for his honest guidance and passion for beef cattle, Beavers has supported countless producers across the state. His dedication continues through his extensive involvement with the Indiana Beef Evaluation Program, where he serves on the board of directors and contributes his time and expertise to support research, education and data collection efforts. His commitment to the industry has made a lasting difference for Indiana cattle producers. To view a complete list of past IBCA award winners, visit www.indianabeef.org. The IBCA’s membership also elected officers for the 2026-2027 year. The new officers selected by the membership included: • President - Dr. David Dixon, of Rensselaer • President-Elect - Dr. Ron Lemenager, of Lafayette • Vice president - JD Faulk, of Worthington • Treasurer - Andrew Stewart, of Greensburg • Immediate past president - Keegan Poe, of Franklin Prior to the annual meeting and convention, IBCA hosted area meetings around the state and one of those meetings included elections for area directors to represent that area on the IBCA/IBC board of directors. The beef producer elected to represent their respective area included: • Area 5 director - JD Faulk • Area 7 director - Dan Chesnut • Area 11 director – Jacob Pettigrew Additionally, Poe announced several additional board members who would be filling two-year presidential-appointed positions on the IBCA/IBC board, representing different IBCA standing committees or industry segment representatives. Those presidential appointments included: • Promotions chair - Lindsay Sankey • HBC chair - John Blake • IJBCA rep - Sidney Stinson • Marketing rep - Gordon Lowry • Service rep - Andon Boocher • Dairy rep - Jeff Carter • NCBA director - Chad Lanum These newly elected and appointed directors will join the returning directors to make up the 2026-2027 IBCA/IBC board of directors. |
