Kent Jaecke

“A View From The Best Seat In The House”

If you’re in the livestock business and you attend a state, regional or national sale or show,  or you’re a cattle breeder and you purchase semen to artificially inseminate your cows or you just like to hang out on social media and catch up on what’s going on in the industry, and you don’t know or know of Kent Jaecke, you probably need to crawl out from under the rock you’re living under. He’s the guy with that unmistakable scream from around ringside at the sale, the voice over the public address system at a show, the one that pulls into your yard to offer genetics from Griswold Cattle Company or the guy in the G- hats and attire thats bringing you the view from the road, wherever and whatever part of the United States that he might be at the time on Facebook, Instagram or any various social media. Growing up on a commercial cow/calf operation in the Flint Hills of Kansas, Jaecke knew at a very early age that he loved being in front of a crowd, performing then on the baseball or football field, basketball court, or in front of his peers at high school plays or in public speaking competitions with his FFA chapter. His time at his beloved Kansas State University only strengthened his love to perform in front of an audience through livestock judging, student government and the multiple other organizations that he actively participated through. “I’ve never been afraid to be in front of a crowd, it’s like a 

drug to me, I love the rush of adrenaline I get being on stage”, Jaecke said. Building his business over the last 35 years in this industry has led to one of the best seats in the house to watch the livestock industry change, evolve, struggle and grow. “Everyday I am blessed to watch this great Livestock Industry from what I feel is the best view in the house”. says Jaecke, looking over his steering wheel logging over 80,000 miles a year, to being ringside or on the sale block at some of the best sales in America or behind the microphone in Freedom Hall on the “Green Shavings” as the public address announcer at the great North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky each November. “I have had a great opportunity to watch our industry evolve from the frame 4’s and 5’s in the late 60’s to the elephants of the 70’s, 80’s and the early 

90’s and back to the more acceptable size, but adding more body and function.” Jaecke continues, “Not only have we had to adapt to every changing types and kinds, but the way we market our product has and is continuing to evolve through each generation”.  A board member on the national Livestock Publications Council, he has watched the change in advertising and promotion of each producers product from the monthly and weekly 

publications to more “Need It Now” information through the internet and social media. “I was reluctant to jump into the whole social media craze a few years ago, but have embraced it since, because there is no better way to build a brand for yourself or your company through effective social media practices.” Jaecke through his long relationship with John Griswold and Griswold Cattle Company, Stillwater, Oklahoma has become the face and voice 

of building the Griswold Brand, the “G-“ through advertising, promotional literature and the constant use of social media. “When John convinced me to get on the road and offer his genetics door to door, it was a great opportunity to not only take his program to the people, but it was a great opportunity to build the Griswold “G-“ brand as well.” Jaecke can also be seen ringside or on the block making sale commentary at over 80 auction sales a year, from California to South Carolina, and from North Dakota to Texas and everywhere in between. Through these many events he has the fortune of meeting and forming great relationships with some of the best producers in the country in all breeds. Jaecke explained, “Not only do I get to meet some of the greatest people in the world, but it’s so fascinating watching their reactions during an auction”. Through these relationships, he is given a very broad perspective on the attitudes and direction to where the market is going and stated, “All the predictions and forecasts for our market can’t carry water, to the real world of standing in front of a 

crowd at a sale, the look in their eyes will tell me so much more than anything I read about our markets”. Through all of this Jaecke’s most cherished and loved views he receives from our industry, it is from the chair he sits in, on the announcers stand each year at the North American in Louisville, Kentucky that gives him his greatest perspective. He has become “The Voice” of the show, and it is there that he feels most at peace and truly a passion and great love for our industry. “If you can’t fired up about our business from where I sit in Louisville each fall, 

then you don’t need to be in this industry”, he continued, “ The cattle themselves are truly amazing, but it’s the people that exhibit, attend and participate each year that make my job, more of an honor to serve”. “The view I am so fortunate to have each day of our business is true blessing, and I am so honored to work with and for some of the greatest people this 

world has to offer.