<b>By JANE HOUIN<br>
Ohio Correspondent</b> </p><p>

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bidwell, Ohio resident Paul Hill was elected president and chairman of the board of the American Angus Assoc. (AAA) at the group’s 124th annual convention of delegates in Louisville, Ky.</p><p>
More than 350 delegates who were elected to represent AAA members from more than 40 states conducted the business of the association during the annual meeting and election. The meeting was at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in conjunction with the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) Super Point Roll of Victory (ROV) Angus Show.</p><p>
Jay King, Rock Falls, Ill., was chosen by the delegates to serve as vice president and vice chairman of the AAA board. Five individuals, including Jarold Callahan, Yukon, Okla.; Norman Garton, Nevada, Mo.; Chad Hoffman, Colfax, Ill.; Jim Rentz, Coldwater, Ohio; and Phil Trowbridge, Ghent, N.Y.; were elected to the AAA’s board of directors. Bill Davis, Sidney, Mont., will serve as treasurer for the year.</p><p>
Hill became interested in raising purebred cattle while a student at the American Herdsman Institute outside of Kansas City, Mo. Although the family farm he grew up on in Marianna, Fla. had commercial cattle, he was active in both 4-H and FFA. His interest in purebred Angus cattle was sparked - when as a first year student at the institute - he fed and groomed the bull that won the All American Futurity.</p><p>
Since then, Hill has managed some of the top Angus operations in the cattle business and worked his way into ownership in partnership with Reynolds, who has raised Angus cattle for 27 years under the Champion Farms name in West Virginia and Ohio.</p><p>
In 1990, Reynolds hired Hill with the intention to form a partnership. That came to fruition in 1993 when Champion Hill, Inc. was formed with Hill as president.</p><p>
In addition, Champion Hill benefits from their partnership with Schaff Angus Valley of St. Anthony, N.D. The two farms market bulls together each February in what has become one of the Angus breed’s top bull sales, and Hill contributes much of Champion Hill’s success to their partnership.</p><p>
Hill focuses on breeding performance cattle that have eye appeal and takes pride in producing superior females. Champion Hill is the owner of many popular breeding bulls and puts emphasis on carcass testing. He has used ultrasound to evaluate carcass traits of yearling bulls and is currently working with a commercial herd to test young sires for carcass traits and performance.</p><p>
“Where we stand out different than most is that we breed performance cattle,” said Hill regarding his Champion Hill seedstock operation, which was named 2006 Seedstock Producer of the Year by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Assoc.</p><p>
“Our philosophy is that these animals spend most of their lives as productive cows. We try to breed cattle that are very functional. They need to be good production animals before they are show animals.”</p><p>
Hill has always been interested in the people side of the cattle business. He and his wife, Lynn, raised two daughters, Sarah and Neenah, who were active in the National Junior Angus Assoc. (NJAA). Today, he continues to provide juniors opportunities to grow and excel in the beef business.</p><p>
Hill has served as chairman of the Angus Foundation board for numerous years, and has been instrumental in the Foundation’s growth. He is one of the founding fathers of the Atlantic National and has helped in raising funds for various shows, events and scholarships that benefit Angus youth and Angus breeders.
As Association president, Hill will serve as chairman of the executive committee and work closely with all directors to lead the board during the next year.</p><p>
In addition to electing directors and officers, the delegates passed a series of amendments to the Bylaws, changing the names of the president to “President and Chairman of the Board,” the vice president to “Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Board” and the executive vice president to the “Chief Executive Officer.”</p><p>
The vice president and vice chairman shall now also be entitled to vote on all matters before the board of directors.</p><p>
Another Ohio producer, Rentz, was elected to the AAA’s board of directors. An Angus enthusiast for 55 years, Rentz, of Coldwater, Ohio, is now semi-retired and eager to serve the AAA and its members.</p><p>
Rentz has been promoting and merchandising Angus cattle for just as many years and in 2006 authored a book, 50+ Years of Angus Trails and Tales.</p><p>
He served as an Angus Journal fieldman in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin for 15 years before starting his own Angus sale management business, Rentz Auction Co.</p><p>
For the past 28 years, he has been a sales representative with Post Printing Co. Rentz oversaw the production of directories, sale books, brochures and magazines on many livestock accounts.</p><p>
Rentz attended Ohio State University and majored in animal science. He has volunteered on many committees and co-founded the Ohio Beef Expo and Showcase Sale.</p><p>
The AAA is the world’s largest beef breed organization and provides programs and services for thousands of commercial producers and more than 36,000 regular and junior members nationwide.</p><p>
Founded in 1883, the AAA is a not-for-profit company with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo.</p><p>
It is the parent organization for Certified Angus Beef LLC, Angus Productions Inc., the Angus Foundation and Angus Genetics Inc.