Faces of Leadership

Faces of Leadership

The Faces of Leadership conference happens every summer and is made possible by the Coley-Malir Leadership Endowment and the Hereford Youth Foundation of America. “Faces of Leadership is a tool to not only build leaders, but a tool to get these young people started on a successful career path. We hope they stay in agriculture, but whatever industry they land in after college, we want them to be armed with the knowledge and the skill sets to be successful,” says Amy Cowan, American Hereford Association Director of Youth Activities and Foundation.

The 2024 Conference

“Don’t let the speed bumps become stop signs,” was the parting statement that Matt Rush left with Hereford juniors as the kickoff keynote speaker for the 2024 Faces of Leadership conference in Fort Worth, Texas, July 28-31. 115 juniors representing 25 different states made the trip for the conference themed, “Even Leadership is Bigger in Texas.”

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The Foundation

The mission of the Hereford Youth Foundation of America is to encourage, recognize and reward the development of life skills and values in the next generation of leaders by providing education, scholarship and leadership opportunities for Hereford Youth.

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The Endowment

Through donations such as the Coley-Malir Leadership Endowment and GKB Cattle Youth Endowment, junior Hereford members across the country are able to grow as individuals and leaders in their community through the Faces of Leadership conference.

Time	Event Description
1-3 p.m.	Conference check-in available with the NJHA board of directors in the hotel lobby
3:15 p.m.	Load buses for St. Louis Cardinals, Ball Park Village
4 p.m.	Arrive at Ball Park Village, Crown Room
4:05 p.m.	Welcome Mixer led by Sam Birdsall and Emma Ballinger, NJHA board of directors
4:30 p.m.	Leadership Keynote with Mike Matheny, catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and spent seven seasons as the manager of the Cardinals
5:30 p.m.	Dinner
6:20 p.m.	Walk across the street to Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals
6:45 p.m.	St. Louis Cardinals vs. Miami Marlins
10 p.m.	Load buses to return to the hotel
11 p.m.	Lights Out

Time

Event Description

1-3 p.m.

Conference check-in available with the NJHA board of directors in the hotel lobby

3:15 p.m.

Load buses for St. Louis Cardinals, Ball Park Village

4 p.m.

Arrive at Ball Park Village, Crown Room

4:05 p.m.

Welcome Mixer led by Sam Birdsall and Emma Ballinger, NJHA board of directors

4:30 p.m.

Leadership Keynote with Mike Matheny, catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and spent seven seasons as the manager of the Cardinals

5:30 p.m.

Dinner

6:20 p.m.

Walk across the street to Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals

6:45 p.m.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Miami Marlins

10 p.m.

Load buses to return to the hotel

11 p.m.

Lights Out

Time	Event Description
6:30 a.m.	Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms
8:30 a.m.	Load buses for Purina Animal Nutrition Conference Center
9 a.m.	Welcome to Purina with Rod Nulik
9:30 a.m.	NJHA Alumni Professional Panel hosted by Amy Cowan
10:30 a.m.	Growing Together Workshop with Harlee Watson, Matt Bruns and Sarah Beth Callicott, NJHA board of directors
Noon	Lunch at Purina Farms
1 p.m.	Purina Farms Center Tours #1
2:30 p.m.	Leadership in Your Career with Chris Chinn, MO Director of Agriculture
3:30 p.m.	How to Present Yourself in a Career Fair with Amy Cowan
4 p.m.	Bridging the Gap and Building the Pipeline – Career Fair Coffee Table Conversations
6:30 p.m.	Dinner & Yard Games, Purina Farms Lake & Grill
8:30 p.m.	Load buses to return to the hotel
8:45 p.m.	Pool Party evening at the hotel
10:30 p.m.	Pool Closes
11 p.m.	Lights out

Time

Event Description

6:30 a.m.

Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms

8:30 a.m.

Load buses for Purina Animal Nutrition Conference Center

9 a.m.

Welcome to Purina with Rod Nulik

9:30 a.m.

NJHA Alumni Professional Panel hosted by Amy Cowan

10:30 a.m.

Growing Together Workshop with Harlee Watson, Matt Bruns and Sarah Beth Callicott, NJHA board of directors

Noon

Lunch at Purina Farms

1 p.m.

Purina Farms Center Tours #1

2:30 p.m.

Leadership in Your Career with Chris Chinn, MO Director of Agriculture

3:30 p.m.

How to Present Yourself in a Career Fair with Amy Cowan

4 p.m.

Bridging the Gap and Building the Pipeline – Career Fair
Coffee Table Conversations

6:30 p.m.

Dinner & Yard Games, Purina Farms Lake & Grill

8:30 p.m.

Load buses to return to the hotel

8:45 p.m.

Pool Party evening at the hotel

10:30 p.m.

Pool Closes

11 p.m.

Lights out

Time	Event Description
6:30 a.m.	Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms
8:30 a.m.	Load buses for Purina Animal Nutrition Conference Center
9 a.m.	Launching Forward Workshop with Lauren Gatz and Rylie Meinhardt, NJHA board of directors
10:30 a.m.	NJHA Roundtables led by the NJHA board of directors
Noon	Lunch at Purina Farms
1 p.m.	Purina Farms Center Tours #2
2:30 p.m.	Take what You’re Learned and Prepare for the Future
3:30 p.m.	Load buses for hotel
5 p.m.	Load buses for Brookdale Farms
5:30 p.m.	Evening at Brookdale Farms – Yard games and bucking bull on-site
6:30 p.m.	Closing Keynote from Salem Sifford, NJHA board of directors
7 p.m.	Dinner
7:45 p.m.	Dance
10:30 p.m.	Load buses for the hotel
Midnight	Lights out

Time

Event Description

6:30 a.m.

Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms

8:30 a.m.

Load buses for Purina Animal Nutrition Conference Center

9 a.m.

Launching Forward Workshop with Lauren Gatz and Rylie Meinhardt, NJHA board of directors

10:30 a.m.

NJHA Roundtables led by the NJHA board of directors

Noon

Lunch at Purina Farms

1 p.m.

Purina Farms Center Tours #2

2:30 p.m.

Take what You’re Learned and Prepare for the Future

3:30 p.m.

Load buses for hotel

5 p.m.

Load buses for Brookdale Farms

5:30 p.m.

Evening at Brookdale Farms – Yard games and bucking bull on-site

6:30 p.m.

Closing Keynote from Salem Sifford, NJHA board of directors

7 p.m.

Dinner

7:45 p.m.

Dance

10:30 p.m.

Load buses for the hotel

Midnight

Lights out

Time	Event Description
7:30 a.m.	Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms
Noon	All attendees must have departed by this time

Time

Event Description

7:30 a.m.

Breakfast available at the hotel – Missouri & Mississippi Conference Rooms

Noon

All attendees must have departed by this time

2025 Travel

Flying - Due to the location of the conference hotel, all Faces of Leadership attendees are strongly encouraged to schedule their flights to arrive at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30. Airport pickups will be coordinated by AHA staff, and a shuttle service will transport attendees to the Holiday Inn Six Flags based on flight arrival times. Please note that no AHA or NJHA Board members will be present at the airport before 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Driving - For drivers, we highly recommend carpooling with other attendees to the conference to lessen the travel cost as well as increase efficiency upon arrival. Please try to arrive by 2:45 p.m. to ensure enough time to check-in prior to the conference departing for its first event at 3:15 p.m.

Departure - On Saturday, Aug. 2 we encourage all flights to be departed STL Airport by noon at the latest, and all drivers must have checked out of the conference by 11 a.m.

Hotel - Holiday Inn, St. Louis West at Six Flags by IHG

July 30-Aug. 2, 2025 | St. Louis, Mo.

The 2024 Conference

The Foundation

The Endowment

2025 Schedule

2025 Travel

Previous Years