Dakota Beef Company


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Corporate Fact Sheet

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Dakota Beef LLC is the largest vertically integrated organic beef company in the country, operating its own certified organic, USDA inspected processing plant in Howard, South Dakota in the heart of cattle country.

All of its cattle are born and raised on certified organic pasture, and they are always treated humanely both to reduce stress, and to help their natural immune systems operate at their fullest potential. Dakota Beef cattle are never given antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones, and their pasture and feed are free from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Dakota Beef finishes its livestock on a proprietary, all vegetarian mix of certified organic grains to promote high levels of marbling and ensure consistently flavorful and tender beef.

Scott Lively - Founder & CEO
Before founding Dakota Beef six years ago, Mr. Lively demonstrated leadership and innovation in a number of entrepreneurial companies. He has more than ten years of experience in developing and executing strategic and operating growth plans for some of the world's largest supply chain management companies, including Siemens, Sterling Commerce, Mobius Management Systems and IONA Technologies. Mr. Lively has recently completed a book that analyzes the history and future direction of the beef industry.

Matt Grove - President
As one of the first employees of Dakota Beef, Mr. Grove grew the Company's sales from zero to what they are today. Mr. Grove is a seasoned sales executive who has used his business development skills to grow a number of organizations from early stage businesses into sizeable companies. He joined Dakota Beef from Bridge Conferencing, a successful Internet conferencing service he co-founded.

Flint McCullough - CFO
Mr. McCullough comes to Dakota Beef as an experienced finance executive in the agricultural and meat packing industries. Mr. McCullough has spent several years with Brookfield Farms, four years at Swissland Packing and twelve years at Bunge, where he was exposed to and oversaw grain accounting at various locations across the country.

Scott Chavkin - VP Marketing

Mr. Chavkin came to Dakota Beef with over fifteen years experience in all natural branded food marketing, including two years at organic/natural grocer Wild Oats Marketplace and two years at Odwalla, the premium-priced juice drink company.

Steve Hanley - VP Live Division
Mr. Hanley's expertise in the banking and financing of agriculture and livestock is an invaluable asset for Dakota Beef. Prior to assuming this position, Mr. Hanley was President of the Community First Bank in Clark, South Dakota, where he managed the finances of the majority of cattle producers in South Dakota. He is also a successful entrepreneur in the natural healthcare industry.

Verlyn Sneller - Nutritionist
Mr. Sneller has been in the cattle business for more than thirty years as a nutritionist working to maximize the efficiency of weight gain in the natural and organic cattle herds. He provides Dakota Beef with more than thirty years experience developing nutritionally balanced diets from high quality organic feed to improve cattle health and production. Mr. Sneller has been working with Dakota Beef for more than three years.