Founded in 2005 by broadcast journalist Bill Kurtis, Tallgrass Beef Company is the industry leader in the production of grass-fed, grass-finished beef in the United States. After purchasing his 10,000 acre ranch near the town of Sedan, Kansas, Kurtis was compelled to find a sustainable method of raising cattle that was not only good for the environment, but also the animals themselves and the American food consumer. This was the genesis of Tallgrass Beef Company.Today Tallgrass Beef Company is comprised of a network of family farmers and ranchers across the United States that produce grass-fed, grass-finished cattle according to a strict set of protocols. These stringent standards ensure that food consumers are buying the safest, healthiest, most nutritious beef possible. Tallgrass Beef is a favorite among consumers seeking a healthy, humane source of beef.
In addition to being available for purchase by consumers online, Tallgrass Beef became the first grass-fed, grass-finished product served in many of Chicago's finest restaurants, with a roster of clients featuring James Beard Award Winning chefs Rick Bayless (owner of Chicago's Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, and XOCO restaurants), Charlie Trotter, George Bumbaris and Sarah Stegner. Harry Carays, Praire Grass Café, Frontera Grill, and Topolobombo serve Tallgrass. The brand has expanded to the west coast where Tallgrass Beef is available in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Tallgrass Beef products are also available in select grocery stores, including Sunset Foods and Fox and Obel in Chicago; Fairway Markets in New York; and Sendik's Markets in Milwaukee.
Much like the cattlemen of the old west, Bill Kurtis started Tallgrass Beef with a vision of a healthy, sustainable, delicious beef source for the American consumer. With a steady annual growth rate and a loyal customer following, Tallgrass Beef Company provides customers with a sustainable alternative to traditionally raised and processed beef.
BEVERLY NICHOLSON-DOTY - COMMISSIONER, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS DEPT OF TOURISM
Beverly Nicholson-Doty serves as Commissioner of Tourism for the United States Virgin Islands, a cabinet-level position. She oversees the Department of Tourism’s advertising and marketing strategy, its national and international tourism-related efforts and product development. Twenty six years ago, while attending the College of the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Nicholson-Doty began her career in the hospitality industry as a reservations clerk at what was then the Virgin Isle Hotel. Quickly rising in the ranks, she served as Front Desk Manager, Front Office Manager, Room’s Division Manager, Hotel Manager, Sales Manager, and Marketing & Sales Director.
In March 1993, Nicholson-Doty joined the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel & Tourism Association as its Executive Director. In this position, her responsibilities included spearheading the implementation and development of the Association’s strategic plan, focusing on four integral areas: Education and Training, Community Needs and Programs, Government Relations, and Marketing. She also formed the Cooperative Marketing Initiative which encouraged tourism-related businesses to actively and collectively promote their products.
During her tenure with the Association, Nicholson-Doty was responsible for developing the
Student Internship Program, a sustainable tourism initiative that encourages students to consider
available employment options within the tourism industry by combining hands-on experience with exposure to available hospitality careers. She also oversaw the unification of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel & Tourism Association with the St. Croix Hotel & Tourism Association to create an integrated Association that strengthens the entire U.S. Virgin Islands hotel product while recognizing the unique offerings of each island. In 2004, she was appointed President of the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association, a position never held previously by a paid staff member.
Recognized by the travel industry for her creative vision and marketing insight, Commissioner
Nicholson- Doty was selected as Executive Director of the Year in 2000 by the Caribbean Hotel
Association. She also served for three consecutive terms as Vice President of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE), elected by her counterparts in the Caribbean region, and was recently elected as Vice Chair for the U.S. Territories during the 2010 CTO Leadership Strategy Conference in Barbados.
Commissioner Nicholson-Doty has served on many local community boards including the Small
Business Development Agency, Boys & Girls Club of the Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives. She is married to Randall Doty and has one son, Paris O. Nicholson IV.