Amanda Fuller, PhD

Hereford, TX
Business and Risk Management Consultant

Originally from Katy, Texas, Amanda graduated with a B.S. from Texas A&M University in 2011. Her passion for risk management began in 2012 while working as Operations Manager for Spur K Cattle Company and OT Feedyard and Research Center in Hereford, Texas. During this time, she managed risk solely on company owned cattle and feed while also completing an M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science with a focus on feedlot cattle nutrition. Afterward, she transitioned into assisting other cattle producers with managing their risk. Amanda and her husband, Clay, operate a backgrounding yard in Hereford where they live with their two children, a daughter, Steeley, and son, Layce. They also run stocker cattle in the Texas panhandle, eastern New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

Joe Kovanda

Chief Development & Strategy Officer

Joe Kovanda was born and raised in Montana on his family’s diversified farm and ranch. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business with a Minor in Economics from Colorado State University and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.

Joe began his career with Bartlett Cattle Company where he managed feeder cattle procurement and hedging. He then joined Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, working with senior leadership and feedyard managers in analyzing and managing risk and investigating business growth opportunities. He returned to Bartlett Cattle Company in 2010, serving as Vice President. He led a team that managed feeder cattle and feed ingredient procurement, fat cattle marketing, and the requisite risk management for a 100% company-owned inventory at two company-owned feedyards and multiple custom feedyards.

After Bartlett’s liquidation in 2018, he founded 4:10 Risk Strategies and began helping multiple cattle owners to measure and mitigate risk while optimizing the intersection of cattle production and market economics. Joe’s passion is for agriculture and its people to succeed in business. He aims to share his experiences and talents in risk management, to that end.

Joe holds both commodity brokerage and insurance agent licenses. He leads the Compass Ag Insurance business unit and team, which focuses on helping cattle owners to manage risk with Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). He and his wife, Lacee, are active cattle feeders in multiple states. They live on the family farm in Columbus, Mont., where they are raising daughters, Kate & Tayah.

Miranda Ault

Mid Office Support

Miranda Ault grew up around her family-owned sale barn in central Kansas and has been involved with that and her family’s operation her entire life. This led to her pursuing her degree in Agribusiness from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. After graduation, Miranda has continued to be involved with agriculture and doesn’t plan on slowing down. She spent time working as 4-H coordinator and as an agricultural loan officer before joining the Compass Team.

Miranda’s cattle knowledge proves beneficial in her position as Mid Office Support. Miranda stays busy with her growing family in Northeast Colorado, while being apart of the fair board and coaching volleyball.

Jimbo Mercer

Director of Communications

Jimbo hails from the great state of Texas where he studied Agricultural Leadership and Development at Texas A&M University with a minor in Business Administration. However, he found himself diving straight into college and camp ministry after graduating. It was there that his passion for leading teams and building business upon the value of relationships began to take professional shape. He cut his teeth in non-profit management with responsibilities to hire, train, and lead a staff of 120 while developing a leadership team of 15-20 to serve them.

Starting a family with his beautiful bride Camy brought them to Colorado and Jimbo’s career to a focus on business development in the for-profit sector. He began in Denver with young tech start-up companies, ultimately leading to a position as Director of Sales for Watershed Ag Analytics, which then became Compass Ag Solutions where he continues in the same capacity. Humility is a one-word definition of success for Jimbo, and his home in the Ag industry highlights that value in a special way. Jimbo and Camy have been immensely blessed with daughters Clarke, Tenley, and Nora – three sweet girls full of life and the innate ability to make dad’s hair turn grey as they run around home in Fort Collins together.

Caitlyn Ochsner

LRP Administrative Assistant

Caitlyn Ochsner was raised along the South Platte River in Kersey, Colo., on her family’s registered Limousin cow/calf operation. Ever since she could walk, she remembers carrying feed buckets, gathering cows, and spending time in the pasture “sorting through the good ones” with her dad.

As a fifth-generation farmer/rancher, her roots run deep in production agriculture, and Caitlyn has always held a deep passion and respect for the livestock industry. At the age of 9, Caitlyn traveled to Morris, Minn., and purchased her very first show heifer from Wulf Limousin and spent her childhood and adult years building her own registered cow herd. In high school, Caitlyn served as the FFA Secretary for the Platte Valley FFA Chapter two years in a row, Vice President and President of her District FFA Chapter, and received her American Farmer Degree at the 2018 National FFA Convention. As a passionate and competitive past livestock judge and 4-H and FFA member, Caitlyn truly does, “Believe in the Future of Agriculture.”

In 2020, Caitlyn graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., with a degree in Commercial Music with an emphasis in Music Business. While her heart has always been torn between a career in music and a career in agriculture, she now is able to pursue both of her dreams. While still focusing on her own personal music career and serving as a part-time worship leader at Generations Church in Northern Colorado, she is proud to serve the Compass Ag Solutions team as an LRP Administrative Associate and Mid Office Support. Caitlyn serves customers on the front-line of LRP administrative account setup. Additionally, she serves customers and Compass’ brokers in brokerage administrative office support.

Garren Bellis

Business & Risk Management Consultant

Garren is a sixth-generation cattlemen who grew up on a cow-calf operation in western Missouri raising purebred Angus seedstock and commercial cattle. Garren grew his family’s operation by creating a branded beef operation and shipping beef from coast to coast. His passion for the livestock industry led him to the University of Missouri where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and to Texas Christian University where he graduated from the Ranch Management Program.

His professional career began managing purebred cow-calf ranches in southern and eastern parts of Texas. He began managing a bull development and international export program. Soon after, Garren was recruited to be the Ranch Manager of a purebred Angus operation in East Texas where he marketed genetics nationwide. Most recently he served as Ranch Manager for a commercial cow-calf & stocker operation in East Texas.

Garren applies his experiences and knowledge gained from the ranching industry to business and risk management. Garren and his bride Shannon enjoy fishing and coaching t-ball for their three sons, Beau, Kaeden and Coen.

Devon Clark

Product Manager

Devon was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Computer Science.

Devon’s career in software development has largely focused on web development. Prior to joining Compass, he served a diverse range of clients including working on multiple large projects for Bartlett Cattle Company. His approach is to first understand the challenges clients face and then build software solutions that help clients meet those challenges.

He and his wife Amy live in Topeka with their three kids Zach, Zoe and Brady.

Joe Richards

Hereford, TX
Branch Manager

Joe Richards is the owner and manager of Diamond Cattle Feeders in Hereford, Texas. This 15,000 head feedyard is located in the heart of cattle feeding country.

Joe and the crew at Diamond Cattle Feeders pride themselves on providing personal customer service and great cattle care. In 2014, Joe began to offer complete risk management services to his cattle feeding customers as well as others when he joined IFG as a broker and branch office.

Joe earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University in 1994 and his Masters of Agribusiness from Sam Houston State University in 1996. A native of Fairfield, Texas, Joe grew up on the family ranch and learned the value of hard work and long days from the many hours he spent in the back of his family’s livestock auction in Buffalo, Texas.

Joe and his wife Brandi have two girls. Madalyn and Lucy. Both girls play basketball, run track and rodeo extensively keeping their parents continually on the move.

Doug Pharr

Mount Calm, TX
Branch Manager

Doug Pharr got his start in the cattle industry by backgrounding cattle used for roping productions where he grew up in Resaca, Georgia. The family produced roping and riding events.

Doug received an extensive “hands on” education in cattle management and profitability as a youngster. The patience he used training roping horses continues to pay off as he helps customers navigate the ins & outs of their risk management needs. Doug is a 4-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier in the Tiedown Roping.

After retiring from his professional rodeo career, he and his wife Brittany started Pharr Cattle Company. Pharr Cattle began as a stocker operation and has grown to include cattle feeding. Doug has real-life experience in navigating market conditions and understands that efficient methods to manage risk are imperative in operating a sustainable agriculture operation. Doug and Brittany have two young children, Presley and Maddox.

Britt Pratt

Merino, CO
Branch Manager

Britt grew up on a ranch and a feedyard in New Raymer and Merino, Colorado. Britt has been involved with her family’s cattle operation her entire life. She graduated college from Colorado Christian University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She quickly realized teaching was not the direction she wanted to pursue.

She came back to the family business the same year and managed the office operations for McEndaffer Cattle Co. In May of 2011, Britt went to work for Dan May at LaVaca Cattle Co. in Littleton, Colorado. It was there she discovered her love for the markets. Shortly thereafter, she became the risk manager at McEndaffer Cattle Co.

Britt specializes in livestock markets, but she is also familiar with farming, cattle buying, corn buying, and distiller’s grains. She loves to travel to cattle sales all over the country. Britt and her husband Morgan, along with their two sons Walker and Hudson, live a mile from their family’s feedyard in Merino, Colorado.

Megan Sharp

LRP Administrative Associate

Megan was born and raised in Northeastern Colorado on a farming and ranching operation. Megan’s roots run deep in the agriculture industry. After taking time to raise her two children, now 12 and 14, Megan joins the Compass Ag Solutions team as the LRP Administrative Associate.

Megan serves customers on the front-line of LRP administrative account setup. Her background, attention to detail, and emphasis on customer service are the driving motivation in caring for and helping customers.

Barb Newman

Mid Office Support

Barb was raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Although she wasn’t directly involved in the Agriculture industry growing up, she spent time on her family’s operations during the summers. She attended the University of Wyoming where she got a degree in Microbiology.

After college, she moved to the Fort Collins area to begin a career as a Quality Assurance analyst. After her three kids got heavily involved in the 4H world, she was again introduced and emersed in the world of Agriculture. Barb brings her quality experience to support the back-office, focusing on customer service.

Jenny Evett

LRP Development Analyst

Jenny grew up in South Central Kansas on a small farm. She attended Kansas State University where she received her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Agricultural Economics. She has spent her entire career working in agriculture, starting out at Chicago Mercantile Exchange as an analyst focusing on the Live and Feeder Cattle contracts. She then spent time as a market analyst for Pioneer Seed before moving to Bartlett Cattle Company for twelve years.

It was at Bartlett where Jenny learned the vital importance of risk management to the success of an operation as she focused on optimizing the buy of feeder cattle, hedging, and reviewing animal performance. More recently, Jenny worked for Elanco Animal Health in Customer Analytics for the Feedyard Team where she helped customers evaluate their cattle performance data and utilize tools to enhance profitability.

At Compass, Jenny helps agents/brokers and customers through analysis and strategic development of Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and customer software solutions. Jenny is based out of Kansas City, Mo., where she lives with her husband, Matt, and two sons.

Troy Clevenger

Business and Risk Management Consultant

Troy grew up on a third-generation cow-calf, farm, and feedlot operation in Northeast Colorado. He attended Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Business. After college, Troy began his professional career in the dry edible bean industry working as an Operations Supervisor. He then joined the Compass Ag Solutions team in pursuit of an active role in business risk management.

Troy is still involved in his family’s operation and has a passion for the agriculture industry that stems from his strong agriculture roots. He resides in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife Sydney.

Brandon McEndaffer

Business and Risk Management Consultant

Brandon was raised on a farming operation in Northeast Colorado where he became directly involved and invested in the cattle industry from an early age. He is still involved in the family business along with his wife Cheyenne. He attended Colorado State University and studied Agriculture Economics and Business Finance with a specialty in investment analysis.

Brandon’s goal is to always understand the client’s business first and foremost, then evaluate the market in relation to the risk management plan. Brandon’s focus is on the cattle and grain markets.

Tess Self

Office Manager

Tess came to Colorado attending Colorado State University where she studied Animal Science and Agriculture Business. Tess handles data, reports and various office and support functions in the Fort Collins office, where her background with the cattle industry has been beneficial. She is responsible for all back‐office functions, including new accounts and payments, as well as client support services.

Ty Wilson

Chief Information Officer

Ty grew up in Western Oklahoma and spent summers farming. He attended the University of Oklahoma and after his sophomore year went and worked as a livestock runner at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. While at the CME, Ty became a licensed broker and then went to work for one of the cattle pit traders who had an office back in Oklahoma.

Ty started building his brokerage business with stocker operators from Western Oklahoma while he finished his Economics degree. After graduation, Ty worked for two years at a commodity brokerage in Denver before starting Insight Financial Group (“IFG”) with his father, Bill Wilson.

While at IFG, Ty’s passions drew him to Software Development in effort to help Feedyards better measure and manage price risk. The software business evolved into Watershed Ag Analytics. Watershed tools are currently used by some of the largest cattle producers in the world. Ty joined Compass to help foster a culture of technological innovation and develop new products specifically for cattle producers.

Bryan Vasseur

Chief Operations Officer

Bryan is from Oklahoma where he grew up involved in stocker cattle, cow-calf, and wheat farming operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University, an M.B.A. from the TCU Neeley School of Business, and is a graduate of the TCU Ranch Management Program.

Bryan began his professional career with National Farms Inc. where he managed a commercial stocker-feeder cattle operation with locations in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Bryan then joined Cattle-Fax as an analyst, and he worked specifically with Colorado and Western Nebraska feedyards, as well as, ranch operations in the southern portion of the U.S. This experience provided an opportunity with the TCU Ranch Management Program where he worked as an instructor and director of the Institute of Ranch Management for five years.

Bryan returned to production in 2006 as Associate Director of Agribusiness and Livestock Operations for Bass Companies. Here he managed the stocker-feeder cattle and farming businesses in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. More recently, Bryan served as Chief Operating Officer for Peyton Holdings Corp. where he led a diversified group of companies involved in agribusiness, energy and real estate in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Florida, and California.

Bryan brings extensive experience in agribusiness and energy from various regions, and understands the strategies behind them that result in success. He and his wife Heidi live in Fort Collins, Colorado with their two sons Joseph and William.

Jason Kraft

Chief Executive Officer

Jason was raised on a fourth-generation farm and feedlot operation in Northern Colorado. Jason attended Colorado State University where he acquired a BA in Animal Science with an emphasis in Agriculture Economics. He then joined the team of analysts at Cattle‐Fax where he expanded his knowledge of the cattle industry.

Soon an opportunity to join the Risk Management team at RJ O’Brien became available and Jason made a transition. Jason continues to grow in his understanding of risk management as his client base expands. It was his vision to provide a suite of tools that would complement futures and options execution, so Jason launched Compass Ag Solutions which is a full-service company with a variety of tools to help Ag producers manage their risk.

With intense intentionality, Jason has continued to grow Compass Ag Solutions by adding some of the best team members in the industry. He has never been more excited than today about who Compass Ag has become, and where Compass Ag is headed. Jason and his wife, Cheri, live on a farm north of Fort Collins, Colorado where they raise their four kids, Kyli, Tyler, Mataya and Clay.

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