Seven volunteer trustees, and one representative from the MSGA Board of Directors, are appointed by the MSGA Board of Directors to oversee the foundation.
Hometown: Bozeman
Ty is a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed. He concentrates on farm and ranch succession/transition planning and those industries allied with agriculture. His passion for next generation planning and production agriculture comes from personal experiences on both sides of his family.
He grew up as the 5th generation on his family’s 109-year-old beef cattle ranch north of Geyser, MT and continues to play an active role. Other hobbies include leatherwork, Bobcat football, western dancing, fitness, and spending time with his wife, Jyll, daughter, Kymber, and son, Lyam.
Hometown: Bozeman
Ty is a financial advisor with Waddell & Reed. He concentrates on farm and ranch succession/transition planning and those industries allied with agriculture. His passion for next generation planning and production agriculture comes from personal experiences on both sides of his family.
He grew up as the 5th generation on his family’s 109-year-old beef cattle ranch north of Geyser, MT and continues to play an active role. Other hobbies include leatherwork, Bobcat football, western dancing, fitness, and spending time with his wife, Jyll, daughter, Kymber, and son, Lyam.
Hometown: Miles City
Monty runs an Angus commercial cow herd selling NHTC program feeder cattle after the calves have been backgrounded. The family also develops heifers and bred them, selling bred heifers or 3 year old cows. As opportunity presents itself, the ranch purchases feeder cattle to background, run on grass and sometimes feed to finish. Operation is native range, owned and leased. They also have irrigated pasture or hay. Monty has been actively engaged in the cattle business most of his life.
Leadership Service: MSGA board member November 2020 to present. Serve on the Executive committee of the board since December 2022. For 21 years Monty was an ag/commercial lender and bank president in Montana and North Dakota. He has served as SCL Holy Rosary board member and chairman. Miles City Housing Authority board chairman. Miles City School District board member. South Eastern Montana revolving loan committee. Miles City Chamber of Commerce board and chairman. The Foundation for Montana History board member. PPL Montana Community Grant Advisory board. Montana 4H Foundation board.
Email: monty@leshandcompany.com
Hometown: Miles City
Monty runs an Angus commercial cow herd selling NHTC program feeder cattle after the calves have been backgrounded. The family also develops heifers and bred them, selling bred heifers or 3 year old cows. As opportunity presents itself, the ranch purchases feeder cattle to background, run on grass and sometimes feed to finish. Operation is native range, owned and leased. They also have irrigated pasture or hay. Monty has been actively engaged in the cattle business most of his life.
Leadership Service: MSGA board member November 2020 to present. Serve on the Executive committee of the board since December 2022. For 21 years Monty was an ag/commercial lender and bank president in Montana and North Dakota. He has served as SCL Holy Rosary board member and chairman. Miles City Housing Authority board chairman. Miles City School District board member. South Eastern Montana revolving loan committee. Miles City Chamber of Commerce board and chairman. The Foundation for Montana History board member. PPL Montana Community Grant Advisory board. Montana 4H Foundation board.
Email: monty@leshandcompany.com
Hometown: Billings
Shayne Vandivort grew up in Torrington, Wyoming. After graduating from Torrington High School, he attended Casper College as a member of the livestock judging team. He went on to receive his bachelors degree in ag business with a minor in animal science from the University of Wyoming. He and his wife, Rosanne, moved to Billing in 1991, where he got a job at Western Ranch Supply. In 1998, he and his partners purchased Western Ranch Supply. He and Rosanne currently reside in Shepherd and have two children Holden (27) and Kenal (20).
Hometown: Billings
Shayne Vandivort grew up in Torrington, Wyoming. After graduating from Torrington High School, he attended Casper College as a member of the livestock judging team. He went on to receive his bachelors degree in ag business with a minor in animal science from the University of Wyoming. He and his wife, Rosanne, moved to Billing in 1991, where he got a job at Western Ranch Supply. In 1998, he and his partners purchased Western Ranch Supply. He and Rosanne currently reside in Shepherd and have two children Holden (27) and Kenal (20).
Hometown: Valier
Cheryl and her husband, Gene, have been engaged in ranching and farming in the Valier area since their graduation from MSU in 1971. Cheryl retired from the Pondera Regional Port Authority where she was Executive Director for nine years. Prior to that she had a 24-year career with the US Postal Service. Cheryl is a lifelong community servant and leader who is dedicated to improving life in her state. Cheryl continues to serve on several boards in her community, region, and state, including the One Montana and Valier Area Development Corporation, among others.
Hometown: Valier
Cheryl and her husband, Gene, have been engaged in ranching and farming in the Valier area since their graduation from MSU in 1971. Cheryl retired from the Pondera Regional Port Authority where she was Executive Director for nine years. Prior to that she had a 24-year career with the US Postal Service. Cheryl is a lifelong community servant and leader who is dedicated to improving life in her state. Cheryl continues to serve on several boards in her community, region, and state, including the One Montana and Valier Area Development Corporation, among others.
Hometown: White Sulphur Springs
Sara Stevenson was born into a cow/calf operation north of Helena and lived and worked there until she married her husband, Darrell. She and Darrell lived and worked on his third-generation family ranch in Hobson, where they raised their two children, Claire and CJ. After 25 years in Hobson, the family decided to expand onto their own ranch for the future generations. In 2020, they moved their family and cows to White Sulphur Springs, where they continue to run a registered black angus herd.
Hometown: White Sulphur Springs
Sara Stevenson was born into a cow/calf operation north of Helena and lived and worked there until she married her husband, Darrell. She and Darrell lived and worked on his third-generation family ranch in Hobson, where they raised their two children, Claire and CJ. After 25 years in Hobson, the family decided to expand onto their own ranch for the future generations. In 2020, they moved their family and cows to White Sulphur Springs, where they continue to run a registered black angus herd.
Hometown: Martinsdale
Greg Putnam started his professional career in the military as a Navy SEAL and is currently the co-founder and President of Little Belt Cattle Company. Little Belt Cattle Company is a vertically integrated local supply chain of start to finish Montana beef. Their beef program supplies local restaurants, schools, and has nationwide online distribution. Little Belt Cattle Company operates its cow-calf and yearling operation outside of Martinsdale and feeds and finishes cattle at Yellowstone Cattle Feeders. Little Belt Cattle Company has been a supporter of MSF by donating and purchasing steers through the foundation’s Cattle Drive program. Putnam looks forward to supporting this outstanding foundation further by serving as a member of the board.
Hometown: Martinsdale
Greg Putnam started his professional career in the military as a Navy SEAL and is currently the co-founder and President of Little Belt Cattle Company. Little Belt Cattle Company is a vertically integrated local supply chain of start to finish Montana beef. Their beef program supplies local restaurants, schools, and has nationwide online distribution. Little Belt Cattle Company operates its cow-calf and yearling operation outside of Martinsdale and feeds and finishes cattle at Yellowstone Cattle Feeders. Little Belt Cattle Company has been a supporter of MSF by donating and purchasing steers through the foundation’s Cattle Drive program. Putnam looks forward to supporting this outstanding foundation further by serving as a member of the board.
Hometown: Columbus
Originating from the high county straddling the border of Stillwater and Carbon Counties, John ranches on land his grandfather homesteaded after forsaking the forests of western Montana. He raises purebred Angus Cattle and has marketed cattle, embryos and semen nationally and internationally; additionally he has worked in sales management and private treaty marketing. Patterson has been active in local and state Angus Associations and is a past President of the Montana Angus Association. He and his late wife Pam were named National Junior Angus Advisors of the year in 2005. John has and continues to be involved in several Foundation Boards. A graduate of Montana State University, he was awarded the MSGA Scholarship his senior year. He has two married sons, Tom and Mark.
Hometown: Columbus
Originating from the high county straddling the border of Stillwater and Carbon Counties, John ranches on land his grandfather homesteaded after forsaking the forests of western Montana. He raises purebred Angus Cattle and has marketed cattle, embryos and semen nationally and internationally; additionally he has worked in sales management and private treaty marketing. Patterson has been active in local and state Angus Associations and is a past President of the Montana Angus Association. He and his late wife Pam were named National Junior Angus Advisors of the year in 2005. John has and continues to be involved in several Foundation Boards. A graduate of Montana State University, he was awarded the MSGA Scholarship his senior year. He has two married sons, Tom and Mark.
