FORT WORTH, Texas (May 29, 2025) – Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members Max Krupp, Joey Ramirez and Kendall Whatley have been selected to join numerous other young cattle producers from across the country for the 2025 Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC), a competitive, multi-day program that explores all aspects of the beef industry. Nominated by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Texas participants will travel alongside fellow emerging leaders on a nationwide tour featuring stops at Tyson Foods beef plant, Certified Angus Beef and Capitol Hill.
Max Krupp of Graham owns and operates Halo K Cattle, running cattle in both Young and Throckmorton counties. He oversees all aspects of the operation, including calving, backgrounding, finishing, and transportation to the processing facility. Krupp recently retired from the United States Army after 28 years of service, attaining the rank of Colonel and spending much of his career in U.S. Army Special Forces. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus in finance and a master’s degree in public administration, both from the University of Texas at Austin.
Joey Ramirez manages Armstrong Ranch in South Texas, where he oversees all aspects of ranch operations, including the commercial cow-calf herd, wildlife program and material sales. Before taking on his current role, Ramirez worked in both the feedyard and cow-calf divisions of King Ranch. Ramirez serves on the TSCRA natural resources and wildlife committee. He holds a degree in animal science from Texas A&M University–Kingsville. Outside of work, he enjoys helping on his grandfather’s ranch and raising his two young sons, Jaxon and Jace, with his wife, Estela.
Kendall Whatley, who resides in Stephenville, works at ReproLogix, specializing in IVF and conventional embryo sales, as well as customer service and support for cattle producers. She also owns and operates Bar K Cattle Services, offering genetic consulting and specializing in photographing sale cattle and ranching lifestyle imagery. Whatley earned her bachelor’s degree in livestock production from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 2016, followed by a master’s degree in 2021 from the University of Georgia, where her research focused on beef cattle nutrition and forage systems. Her combined experience in reproduction, genetics, and nutrition has shaped her into a systems thinker, integrating multiple disciplines to improve cattle production.
Hosted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Young Cattlemen’s Conference gives young producers hands-on experience and insight into all areas of the beef industry.
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