DENVER — The Livestock Marketeers, an informal fraternity of livestock fieldmen, auctioneers, sale managers and related livestock business leaders met for their 54th Annual Banquet at the National Western Club on Jan. 19. The event was hosted by American Live Stock; master of ceremonies was J. Neil Orth, executive vice president of the American-International Charolais Association and 1984 Hall of Fame inductee.
Stuart Wilson grew up on a purebred livestock and grain farm near Findlay, Ill., where he raised Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He was active in both 4-H and FFA showing at the local, state, and national levels. He was a member of the 1966 Illinois State FFA winning livestock judging team which placed second in the national contest at the American Royal.
Wilson graduated from Western Illinois University in 1971 with a BS in animal science. While at WIU, he was the founding president of the Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity, and a member of Block and Bridle. He was on Western's highly successful livestock judging team in 1970. Graduate work followed at the University of Missouri.
In 1971, Wilson began his career right out of college as a field representative for The Shorthorn World. He was the publisher of the magazine at the time it was sold in 1976. In 1972, he became an insurance agent for American Live Stock Insurance Company/Harding and Harding. In 1973, he formed Stuart Wilson Sale Management which managed cattle sales throughout the United States and Canada for over four decades.
He and his wife, Ann, reside on the family farm near Findlay. They have a daughter, Robyn, and a granddaughter, Avery. Stuart and Ann have been married 45 years, and they are both active members of the Findlay United Methodist Church.