RECIPIENT

Jan Lyons, co-owner of Lyons Angus Ranch, has led with integrity through some of the beef industry’s most challenging times. She made history as the first woman to serve as president of both the Kansas Livestock Association and the Kansas Angus Association, later chairing the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and serving as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in 2004, where her steady leadership during the 2003 BSE crisis earned national respect. An advocate for beef promotion, genetic improvement, and consumer confidence, she advanced key initiatives such as the national checkoff program and earned many honors. More than accolades, Lyons is celebrated as a mentor, consensus-builder, and steward of ranching, proudest of passing her love for the land and cattle to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.