Trustee Election: North Central and Eastern Region Candidate Introduction
The trustee election process continues for those located in the North Central and Eastern regions. Paper ballots will be mailed and the online voting portal will open this week.
All active ASA members located in the North Central and Eastern regions have until December 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM to vote for two trustees they wish to represent their respective region. If you have opted to vote electronically, a paper ballot will not be mailed; however, even if you received a paper ballot, all active members can and are encouraged to vote electronically. To vote online, log in to your Herdbook account and access the voting portal in the “My Account” section. If you have any questions, please contact the ASA office at 406-587-4531.
Get to know the candidates:
| North Central Region | |
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Matt Aggen Biography Matt Aggen owns and operates Oak Meadow Farms near Harmony, Minnesota, alongside his wife, Jessica; sons, Hunter and Garrett; and parents, Dr. Lynn and Barb Aggen. Oak Meadow Farms is a first-generation Simmental operation, which has grown steadily from its humble beginnings. Before striking out on his own, Matt spent five years working for young, progressive breeders, gaining a tremendous amount of experience that he has now taken to his family’s operation. Today, the Oak Meadow herd consists of 160 head of mature Simmental and SimAngus cows. The operation’s primary goal is to balance performance with quality, bridging the gap between phenotype and breed-leading EPD. Select females and bulls are marketed through a production sale every February. Oak Meadow Farms has held an annual customer appreciation feeder calf sale for 17 years. Matt has been active in the Minnesota Simmental Association (MSA), serving two terms on the board, which included one as president. Matt and Jessica have both served as junior advisors, helping coordinate an AJSA National Classic in Minnesota. The Aggens have been named the Member of the Year by the MSA. Oak Meadow Farms has donated three heifers to youth through the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience. Matt is currently serving on the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees. |
Chris Effling Biography Chris Effling grew up on a commercial cow-calf operation in eastern SD, participating in 4-H, FFA, and youth breed association activities. He attended South Dakota State University, and following graduation, worked for the Thomas Ranch and Eagle Pass Ranch. He and his wife, Kristi, who he met through 4-H and FFA, settled near Highmore, SD. Effling worked as a fieldman for the American Hereford Association for three years, covering KS, NE, ND, SD, and MN, and he has continued working the ring on sale day for breeders across the country. The Effling family founded CK Cattle in 1997, introducing Simmental genetics to the crossbreeding program early on. Today, CK Cattle is a progressive 250-head seedstock herd focused on creating high-quality, high- Effling’s children grew up in the American Junior Simmental Association, and he has continued his involvement, volunteering for the National Classic and supporting youth in SD. Effling has served the South Dakota Simmental Association with a term as president, is a member of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, and is a member of the South Dakota Breeds Council. He also sits on the South Dakota Beef Industry Council as the vice chair of the promotions committee. Effling helped form the South Dakota Beef Boosters, which focuses on raising money for the state’s 4-H beef project participants, and currently serves on the executive committee. Effling’s daughters, Cagney, Chesney, and |
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Troy Marple Biography Troy Marple owns and operates M4 Simmentals alongside his wife, Nicole, and children, Logan and Laney. He grew up in Kansas on his family’s Simmental operation, which his uncle continues to run. Marple joined the AJSA in the early 1980s, and his own children are now participating both in the AJSA and Kansas Junior Simmental Association. He has been the donor manager for Cross Country Genetics for over 20 years; previously, he managed the Kansas State University teaching M4 Simmentals runs Simmental and SimAngus females, bred exclusively by ET or AI. Calving ease, growth, maternal strength, and carcass traits are a priority, with an overall focus on balance. Females are either retained or sold through fall sales. Bulls are marketed each spring as a part of the Gold Bullion Group’s annual sale, held the first Sunday of March. M4 focuses on raising bulls that appeal to registered breeders while also meeting the needs of the commercial customer. The Marples are recently retired advisors for the Kansas Junior Simmental Association. Having grown up in the AJSA himself, Marple is committed to supporting youth and has been involved in leading a variety of events. He received a master’s degree from Kansas State University focused on beef cattle reproduction. Marple is also involved in a number of local agricultural and youth organizations. Marple is currently a member of the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, sitting on the Executive Committee. |
Chris Nicholson Biography Chris Nicholson grew up on his family’s C Diamond Ranch in south-central ND. After high school graduation, Nicholson completed a carpentry program before returning home to the ranch. In 2016, Nicholson and his wife, Julia, saw an opportunity to move up the road from the original family place and start their own operation, Lazy C Diamond, near Kintyre. Today, Lazy C Diamond Ranch is a family owned and operated Simmental seedstock business. The cow herd consists of 400 SimGenetics cow-calf pairs. The program utilizes AI and ET |
| Eastern Region | |
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Jessie Driggers Biography Jessie Driggers attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, studying animal science, and later graduated from Southeastern Technical College where he studied computer troubleshooting and repair. Driggers went on to work as an electronics technician, technical supervisor, and station manager at the United States Air Force Space Surveillance Station for 30 years. He enlisted in the Georgia Air National Guard and served for 22 years as an avionics technician, working primarily on the Lockheed C-130 aircraft. Driggers was actively deployed to the Persian Gulf for one year, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He retired at the rank of Master Sargent (E-7) in 2004. Driggers Simmental Farm is located in southeastern GA, near Savannah. The farm was originally purchased by his grandfather, Walter Brannen, in 1930, and has been in the family ever since. The cow herd consists of around 45 registered Simmental and SimAngus cows, and a small |
Dr. Brandi Karisch Biography Dr. Brandi Karisch owns and operates MBK Cattle alongside her husband, Matt, and children, Mason and Miles. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s in animal science, and then completed her master’s and doctoral degrees in beef cattle nutrition at Texas A&M. Today, Karisch is the Beef Extension Specialist at Mississippi State University, with special interest in applied beef cattle management, health, and nutrition. Through her Extension work, |
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Scott Trennepohl Biography Scott Trennepohl owns and operates Trennepohl Farms with his brother, Jeff, and his family. He and his wife, Judy, have two daughters, Adrianne and Claire, who grew up in the breed. The operation was started by Trennepohl’s grandfather, and is now a multigenerational diversified livestock and farming business. Trennepohl studied agronomy at Purdue University before returning to the family operation. The family runs SimGenetics cattle, producing bulls and females that are marketed through four annual sales, including the TF Top Ten, Back to the Farm, TF Turnout Time, and Right By Design sales. Each sale is catered to a variety of customers, from commercial producers seeking bulls to youth looking for show heifer prospects. Genetic decisions are made to fit their diverse range of customers, with AI and ET utilized heavily for genetic progress. Trennepohl Farms also includes a farming operation, growing corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. Trennepohl has been involved in state and national events for many years, including the Indiana Simmental Association Board, and the Simmental Breeders Sweepstakes Board. Trennepohl Farms has hosted educational field days and supports the AJSA and ASF. As a district director of the Indiana Farm Bureau State Board and longtime member of the organization, Trennepohl has been involved with a number of educational and advocacy efforts for state agricultural policies. He served on the local school board for over 20 years, and as an Indiana Farm Bureau director. Trennephohl has also served the Indiana Simmental Association, and is currently a member of the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, sitting on the Executive Committee. |
