The 2012 New Year’s celebration included the addition of two new staff members to the National Swine Registry – Brian Anderson and Jen Gillespie.
Anderson joined the NSR team of field representatives and will be covering the Southwest territory (see the map below). Brian will visit breeders across the Southwestern region of the U.S. and attend NSR shows and events to promote the purebred use of Doroc, Hampshire, Landrace and Yorkshire swine. You can follow Brian on the road through the NSR Fieldview blog here.
NSR CEO Clint Schwab is excited to have Anderson on board: “Brian brings to the position many years of experience in different facets of the livestock industry,” Schwab says. “He was raised in the purebred swine business, which spurred his obvious passion and understanding of the purebred swine industry. We are excited to have someone with his background and expertise joining our team and representing the NSR and its members.”
Anderson obtained his bachelor’s degree in animal science production from Kansas State University and has a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the swine industry, as well as extensive involvement with livestock shows, clinics and camps across the United States. Most noted for his nearly two decades of coaching junior college livestock judging teams at Coffeyville Community College and Fort Scott Community College, both in Kansas, Anderson has guided many highly competitive teams and served as the National Junior College Judging Coaches’ Association president.
The second addition to the NSR team, Jen Gillespie, started her work as the Director of Marketing & Communications the first week of January. She will work out of the West Lafayette office, overseeing the communications division of the organization. Gillespie will be leading the production of Seedstock EDGE, as well as pursuing marketing opportunities thorough social media and interactive technology.
“I am excited to add someone of Jen’s caliber to the NSR team,” Schwab says. “Her background and experience will prove a valuable resource to NSR members as she leads the Marketing and Communications team. We look forward to exposing her skill-set in building increased awareness of the programs within NSR and leading the future development of marketing resources for NSR members.”
The Kansas native holds a master’s degree in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from Kansas State University. Gillespie brings valuable purebred and livestock marketing experience from her industry relations internship with Certified Angus Beef, LLC, as well as ag policy experience from 6 months with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. In addition, she boasts publication production knowledge gained as the editorial assistant for the Journal of Applied Communications and videography skills learned through an internship with SUNUP Television at Oklahoma State.
If you would like to welcome our new staff members or if you have any questions for them, feel free to contact Brian at brian@nationaswine.com or Jen at jen@nationalswine.com.