Posted 09/20/2024

For immediate release:

Sept. 20, 2024

For more information, contact:

Randy Schmitt, NDSA president: (701) 537-3440 • schmittranch@hotmail.com

Julie Ellingson, NDSA executive vice president: (701) 223-2522 • jellingson@ndstockmen.org

Elizabeth Hasenwinkel, NDSA communications director: (701) 833-1162 • ehasenwinkel@ndstockmen.org

Goeres, Leiseth presented with North Dakota Stockmen’s Association honorary membership

The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) recognized two longtime members who have made significant contributions to the state’s beef industry and the NDSA with its Honorary Membership Award during the organization’s annual convention in Bismarck, N.D., this evening. Mary Goeres of Bismarck, N.D., and Jason Leiseth of Arnegard, N.D., were honored during the annual banquet.

Mary Goeres

After 35 years of membership and more than 33 years of service to the NDSA as an employee, Goeres was recognized as an honorary member.

Goeres was raised on a farm and ranch near Moffit, N.D., and is a 1980 graduate of Century High School in Bismarck. She attended Bismarck State College, where she studied agribusiness sales and service and was employed by the Burleigh County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service for more than five years following her education.

On June 12, 1989, Goeres began her duties as the NDSA office secretary and receptionist. Three years later, in 1992, she moved to the administrative assistant position. In that role, Goeres was responsible for keeping records of all receipts and disbursements, administering the monthly payroll, issuing billing statements, completing state and federal taxes, preparing bank deposits, compiling a monthly profit-loss report and gathering data for the association’s auditor. She also supported the brand inspection program with records management and archival.

On June 14, 2002, she married her husband Harvey and moved to Dickinson, N.D., where she worked as a loan processor at Dakota Community Bank for nearly three years.

In 2005, Goeres returned to the NDSA to serve as the new animal identification coordinator, overseeing the implementation of the state’s animal identification program, coordinating its development in cooperation with North Dakota State University Extension and the State Board of Animal Health. The agencies were partners in a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in conducting an animal identification pilot project. She also contributed a monthly column to the North Dakota Stockman, “Animal ID IQ.” In February 2007, she also became the brand recorder after the retirement of Nancy Dawson.

In March 2007, Goeres returned to her previous position of administrative assistant. She began coordinating the NDSA Trade Show at this time and did so until 2020.

Goeres retired from the NDSA June 30. “The producers I worked for and the people I worked with were absolutely the reason why I did my job at the NDSA for more than half my life,” said Goeres. “I liked the camaraderie and have so many great memories from my time at the NDSA.”

Jason Leiseth

McKenzie County cattleman and NDSA Immediate Past President Jason Leiseth has been an NDSA member for 37 years.

Leiseth grew up on a farm and ranch north of Arnegard and knew from an early age he wanted to be a farmer and rancher like his father. He spent his childhood running around the ranch with his sister and doing every task asked of him. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics with a finance emphasis from North Dakota State University. Following this opportunity to grow, learn and network, Leiseth worked in feed sales and returned to the family operation. He represents the fourth generation of his family to farm and ranch in McKenzie County.

Today, his family lives 1 mile from where one of his great-grandparents homesteaded and where he grew up. His full focus is on the family’s operation, where he, his wife Peggy and their sons, Erick (Fallon), Tyler and Brady, run a commercial Red Angus cow-calf operation and raise small grains and hay. They also have two grandchildren, Banks and Lenni. “It was our goal to raise our family in production agriculture,” said Leiseth.

Leiseth previously served on the NDSA Board of Directors as a District 5 director. He chaired the NDSA Brand Board, the District 5 Nominating Committee and the Feeding & Marketing Committee. He is a member of the Building Committee and the vice president of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Foundation.

“There has been many great times serving as president of the NDSA,” said Leiseth, “but cutting the ribbon in front of the new cattle industry headquarters in May and seeing the dream of the new building come to life was indescribable. I am so lucky to have been the president to make the cut after so many others have directed our organization to where we are today.”

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