OKLAHOMA CITY — The 66th Annual Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show, will feature five sessions of Cattlemen’s College. The event will be held July 20 and 21 at the Embassy Suites in Norman, Okla.
Today, we highlight Cattlemen’s College, Session 2, which will feature a panel or individuals, who were all ranch kids at one point, but now have experience in various segments of the beef industry. The panel participants include: Dr. Brad Morgan and Chef Brad Johnson.
“We feel that these gentlemen could enlighten cattlemen about challenges and opportunities that they see in their sector of the beef industry and how those challenges and opportunities relate to the sales of beef,” said Weston Givens, President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.
Dr. Brad Morgan is an Oklahoma native and Oklahoma State University Animal Science Alumni. After earning a Ph.D. in Animal Science from Texas A&M University, he was an Assistant Professor and Extension Meats Specialist at Colorado State University where he was part of the inaugural National Beef Quality Audit and other high impact research projects. Later, Morgan joined the Animal Science faculty at Oklahoma State University where he taught undergraduate and graduate meat science courses and conducted research. Morgan’s research and expertise in meat tenderness and color is known nationally and internationally. He has conducted research for companies such as Wal-Mart, National Beef, Harris Ranch Beef, Tyson Red Meats, Outback Steakhouse, Standard Meat Company, Sam Kane’s Pacing, Performance Food Group, Sysco, PM Beef and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. One of Morgan’s last research interests focused on development, verification and implementation of the OSU Beef Tenderness Prediction System along with developing the dry aging protocols for beef cuts destined for international markets. Morgan has received numerous research and teaching. Currently, Morgan is the Sr. Director of Protein for the Performance Food Group (PFG). PFG, delivers more than 125,000 food and food-related products to 85,000 customer locations daily.
Chef Brad Johnson began his culinary pursuits learning country cooking from his grandmother and mother in Asher, OK. After attending OSU, he moved to NYC to work for The Riesse Organization in their new TGIFriday’s division. To further his culinary knowledge, he attended Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Following graduation in 1995 he returned to Oklahoma, with his family, to teach at OSU in the Culinary Arts department. Through his association with OSU he met and began to work for Hal Smith of Hal Smith Restaurant Group as their Executive Chef. He has developed the menus for some of the companies most successful concepts, including Charleston’s Restaurant, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, Redrock Canyon Grill, Upper Crust, Mama Roja, Louie’s and Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Recently he developed the menu for the highly popular Neighborhood JAM, a breakfast/lunch concept. In 2007, Brad purchased the spice company, The Allen Oliver Group, from Allen Oliver, and has successfully built the company to one of the favorites among BBQ restaurants across the country.
“There a total of five Cattlemen’s College sessions spread throughout the 2-day event. The convention atmosphere will be exciting as we are building the convention around a Route 66 theme to celebrate the 66th Annual event.”
In addition to a large, in-door trade show; convention will also include discussion around OCA policy and an OCA General Business meeting. The final event of convention is the awards banquet where outstanding cattlemen and their accomplishments will be recognized and celebrated.
OCA Convention registration is now open. To register, visit www.okcattlemen.org
The OCA is the trusted voice of the Oklahoma Cattle Industry. OCA is the only voice that speaks solely for the cattlemen of Oklahoma and represents beef producers in all 77 counties across the state. The OCA officers, board of directors and membership encourages you to join us in our advocacy efforts to ensure less government intervention, lower taxes and a better bottom line. For more information about OCA membership, the theft reward program or activities call 405-235-4391 or visit www.okcattlemen.org.
–Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association
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