ASA Welcomes Dr. Ben Crites

The American Simmental Association is excited to welcome Dr. Ben Crites to the team as the ASA and IGS Director of Commercial and Industry Relations. Ben grew up in southwest Michigan where his family owns a Christmas tree farm.

He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and completed his master’s and PhD at the University of Kentucky in Reproductive Physiology. His doctoral research focused on the impacts of selenium on beef cattle fertility. During his tenure at the University of Kentucky, he also served as an Extension Associate and assisted with Extension programs throughout the Commonwealth.

Most recently, Ben served as the Director of Beef Market Development at STgenetics, where he co-managed the beef team, conducted customer meetings, and assisted with sire acquisition. Ben and his wife, Jamie, reside in Paris, Kentucky, with their son McCoy. As a family, they enjoy traveling and visiting new places together. “We are in exciting times in the US beef industry, with record high prices being captured across the country. As the US cow herd rebuilds, there are great opportunities for producers to utilize Simmental and Sim-influenced genetics to increase performance, while keeping mature cow weight in check,” Ben shared.