Shafer Honored With 2025 RAAA Industry Service Award
Wade Shafer was recognized with the Red Angus Association of America’s 2025 Industry Service Award during the 72nd Annual National Red Angus Convention in Loveland, Colorado. The award honors individuals, companies and organizations whose efforts have significantly advanced the Red Angus breed and the beef industry.
Shafer’s first exposure to Red Angus came as a graduate student in animal breeding at Colorado State University in the mid-80s, when the association’s genetic evaluation program was centered there. That experience left a lasting impression.
“It became obvious to me that RAAA and its members were highly focused on the traits of greatest economic impact on cow-calf production,” Shafer said. “At that time, it would have been fair to conclude that RAAA was the lone ranger in that area.”
Though he later spent his career with the American Simmental Association, including serving as executive vice president, Shafer said he has always considered himself “breed agnostic,” in that he supports utilizing any breed and sires within those breeds that improve profitability for cattle producers. “If you’re truly a proponent of crossbreeding, you are necessarily breed agnostic and, logically, an advocate for genetic improvement across all breeds and breed combinations.” That perspective helped fuel the creation of International Genetic Solutions, a collaboration founded by RAAA and ASA that has evolved into the world’s largest and broadest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. “To be acknowledged by RAAA affirms that the collaboration RAAA and ASA initiated a decade and a half ago has been appreciated.”
Shafer credits his lifelong mentor, former CSU professor and Rapid Canyon Red Angus owner, Dr. Richard Bourdon, for shaping his outlook on cattle breeding and introducing him to the Red Angus community. He also noted Greg Comstock’s role in helping launch IGS and Tom Brink’s efforts as a tireless advocate for the collaboration.
Looking ahead, Shafer plans to continue his involvement with IGS following his retirement from ASA. He said Red Angus cattle will remain an important part of genetic progress in the beef industry. “Due to their outstanding maternal characteristics, they make a very logical and viable component in crossbreeding systems,” Shafer said. “It has been said, and I would agree, that RAAA has a larger proportion of members who are focused on genetic improvement than any other breed. Their support of and partnership in IGS is tangible proof of their continued commitment to the beef industry–a commitment that transcends the role of a typical breed association by serving the industry above all.”
The Red Angus Association of America serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the measurable advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. RAAA provides commercial producers with objectively described cattle by implementing new technologies and using scientifically sound principles that quantify traits of economic importance to beef producers in all segments of the beef industry.
Shafer adds, "Though I am extremely honored, I feel this award is more about IGS than me. In that vein, besides those mentioned in the press release, there are many other Red Angus stalwarts that should be mentioned as having an impact on the evolution of IGS. Though his tenure as RAAA’s EVP predated the formation of IGS, Dr. Bob Hough has been a staunch supporter throughout its existence. Always a champion of the muti-breed approach, Donnell Brown ramrodded a committee that settled on a common base, which all IGS partners are now on. Larry Croissant, Butch Schuler and Frank Wedel served on a directional committee in the early days of IGS. Former RAAA director of breed Improvement, Larry Keenan, was extremely helpful in early development... and former RAAA employee, Ryan Bolt is now a central cog in the IGS machine. Maybe most importantly, I have always felt strong support for IGS from RAAA members, board and staff. We could not have asked for a better partner! "