The American Angus Association  hired Andrew Swanson as the newest member of its regional manager team. Swanson will cover Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, helping commercial cattlemen and Association members with their needs.  

“Andrew is no stranger to the area or the world of Angus sales,” says Levi Landers, director of field and member services for the Association. “He has spent the last 10 years serving cattlemen, and I’m looking forward to introducing him to breeders in his area.”  

A native of Ivanhoe, Minn., Swanson joins Angus from Select Sires, where he served as a beef business manager, overseeing the beef market sector in North Dakota and Minnesota. He also held other roles with Select Sires and worked with seedstock and commercial producers, representing Lee Agri-Media at production sales over last five years. 

Swanson is one of 13 regional managers serving across the United States as full-time staff members of the Association. They work with cattle breeders in their designated regions to promote Angus cattle, help commercial cattleman utilize Angus programs and assist Angus breeders who want to get started in the Angus business. 

Regional managers also work with breeders to ensure their advertising needs are being met through the Angus Journal and Angus Beef Bulletin. They can often be found working at Angus sales and shows, representing the Association at livestock conventions and serving as a liaison between the organization, its membership, users of Angus genetics, industry partners and academia. 

“In my final year of college, I remember thinking the Angus regional manager job was my dream job,” Swanson says. Ten years later, he has built the kind of experience that will be beneficial to the cattlemen in his area.  

“I look forward to engaging with cattlemen at a number of industry events, making herd visits and helping answer as many questions as I can about the Angus business,” he says.  

Swanson understands producers’ perspectives. He and his wife, Bridgette, and their two young sons, Owen and Brooks, own a small, registered Angus cow herd. They are the fourth generation to farm their family’s land.  

“That first-hand knowledge will be a huge benefit to cattlemen — both seedstock breeders and commercial cattlemen,” Landers says.  

Swanson will begin his duties on Dec. 10, and can be reached at aswanson@angus.org and by calling him at (507) 829-4133.