BY ERIKA OSMUNDSON | Communications Director A Humble Presence 2025 IOWA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE One of the highlights of the annual Iowa Cattle Industry Convention is recog-nizing those who go above and beyond in their operations or for Iowa’s beef cattle industry. No one can argue that this year’s Hall of Fame award didn’t go to one of the most deserving in our industry. The 2025 ICA Hall of Fame honoree is Beth Doran, retired beef specialist in north-west Iowa with the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach. It was a true honor to sit down with Beth and her brother, Gene Doran, to learn more about how Beth’s passion for the beef cattle industry evolved and led her to become one of the most respected indus-try influencers. What was quickly appar -ent is that Beth is extremely humble, yet mindful and to the point with her response. many of Beth’s showmanship accolades over the years. The special bond between Beth and Gene is known throughout the industry, and Beth thanked him during her accep -tance of the Hall of Fame award for being one of her best supporters. Beth and Gene grew up in Central Iowa, near Beaver, on the family opera-tion. Gene joked that they often got asked if they fought, and Gene said, of course, they did. “I fight with my sister, but if I’m gonna work cattle, she’s the first person I want with me, and if I was going to the gunfight, I want her on my right side,” said Gene. Just before Gene left for the Vietnam War, he and Beth spent time alone working cattle, something he says he’ll remember until the day he dies. She was going through all of the ques -tions, asking him how he wanted things done. He said his advice was to remember that the little things are just as important as the big things. “She took me seriously, and when I came home from the war, it went from, ‘Are you Gene Doran’s sister?’ to me being asked, ‘Are you Beth Doran’s brother?’” Gene said. “She took the bull by the horns when I left for the Army and drug those cattle all over the United States showing them and was quite successful with it.” Beth was also scholastically talented. She has a bachelor’s degree in home eco-nomics and one in animal science. From there, she went on to get her master’s degree and doctorate from Oklahoma State in feedlot nutrition. She then took an extension livestock position with Michigan State University, where she says she learned a lot, partic-ularly about water quality and the impacts of environmental pressures, some of the same pressures she would later experi-ence in Iowa. Both Beth and Gene shared the value of the numerous mentors that Beth was exposed to throughout her education and during the early years of her career. Names of these people rolled right off their tongues as if they’d just spoken yesterday. Gene shared a story of one men-tor whom they visited not long ago, who was in an assisted care facility battling Alzheimer’s. THE BEGINNING When we asked Beth about where her passion for the industry stemmed, she simply said 4-H. Beth said she was in 4-H for nine years and that it was her involve-ment there that got her into custom fitting and showing. Gene would tell you that she was one of the best showmen and listed 18 DECEMBER 2025
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