The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) has announced that Rick Cozzitorto has been hired as the new executive vice president. Cozzitorto replaces Dr. Darrell Wilkes, who is retiring following a 5- year stint as the Brangus executive.

Shiloh Hall, a Brangus breeder from Oklahoma and the current President of IBBA, said: “Our association is in a very strong position and we are excited to be bringing Rick on board to continue our upward trends. His extensive background in the cattle industry and his deep experience in marketing will help us get the word out about our breed. We believe we have a very compelling value proposition for commercial cattle producers in the heat zones of this country, and internationally, and Rick’s skill set is a great fit for our next steps forward.”

Hall continued, “We were gratified with the very competitive field of candidates that applied for this position. That’s a reflection on our breed’s growth and the realization that Brangus has a huge role to play in the beef industry.”

Joe Fuller, chairman of the IBBA Long Term Planning Committee, noted that the association’s long term plan included an objective of having a smooth transition from one executive to the next.  Fuller added, “We can now put a check mark on that objective because Dr. Wilkes’ planned retirement includes him staying on board for a period of time to achieve a smooth hand-off to Rick Cozzitorto.”

Cozzitorto brings 35 years of experience to IBBA. He served as a regional manager for the American Angus Association early in his career, and he parlayed that into a very successful career in livestock publishing and agribusiness, mostly in the animal health industry.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to further advance Brangus in the U.S. and international markets. The stage has been set for significant growth, and I look forward to being part of it,” Cozzitorto said.

“It has been a highlight of my career to work with Brangus breeders in advancing the breed to the place it is now. It is very rewarding to hand the reins over to a person of Rick’s ability,” Wilkes said, adding, “I expect to see more great things happen for Brangus breeders and the savvy commercial producers who recognize the value of Brangus genetics.”