[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15394]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO KEVIN KESTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 16, 2012

  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my 
good friend, Kevin Kester, on his retirement as President of the 
California Cattlemen's Association (CCA). He has been an effective and 
passionate advocate for ranching and the cattle industry in our local 
community, our State of California, and across the United States.
  Kevin hails from a long line of ranchers, and his family has been in 
the business for almost 150 years--running cattle since 1867. A 
graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 
with a degree in agriculture management, he served in the City of Paso 
Robles Police Department for several years and later as a San Luis 
Obispo County Sheriff's deputy. Upon returning to help run his family's 
Bear Valley Ranch, today he operates the ranch with his wife, June, and 
their three children, Kayleen, Kody, and Kara, ensuring another 
generation of Kester leadership in California agriculture.
  As President of CCA, Kevin was one of the unique individuals who was 
able to advocate for issues critical to the ranching and cattle 
industry, fighting to maintain and promote, as well as educate, 
policymakers both in Washington and Sacramento on the importance of 
ranching heritage and how California cattlemen and cattlewomen are 
proud stewards of the environment. Understanding the link between 
rangeland conservation, environmental management, and running cattle, 
he was successful in working with both sides of the aisle on a variety 
of issues, be it on taxes, trade or regulatory issues important to 
ranchers.
  During his tenure as CCA President, Kevin was also able to better 
coordinate with and involve all the local and county cattle 
associations in California to more effectively promote issues of 
importance to them. Prior to being elected CCA President, he served as 
the CCA Wildlife Management Committee Chairman and is a past president 
of the San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen's Association. Kevin is also a 
past chairman of the California Mid-State Fair Heritage Foundation 
Board of Directors and the California Mid-State Fair Agriculture 
Committee, as well as a member of the Shandon Joint Unified School 
District Board of Trustees.
  I always enjoy meeting with Kevin and getting his counsel, whether it 
be on important policies facing ranchers or for advice on the best cut 
of steak for dinner. When we meet in San Luis Obispo, he's usually 
right off Bear Valley in his ranching uniform. When in Washington, he 
may put on a coat and tie, but true to his ranching heritage, I can 
always spot him amongst all the dark suits in the hallways of the 
Capitol in his cowboy hat, cowboy boots and belt buckle.
  Kevin's dedication to ranching and our community continue to be 
exemplified through his commitment to service, and while he may be 
leaving CCA's top post, I look forward to working with him on issues of 
importance to agriculture in our community, California, and across the 
country.

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