Our History
Like many in agriculture, Paul Brown worked hard
his entire life. From the oil fields in high school,
to wheat farming in a drought, to building an Empire;
every day provides an opportunity to live by the motto
“nothing but a square deal.”
During the 1950’s Paul and his wife Evelyn
had a growing family and no wheat crop from
1952 to 1958. Extreme drought brought
out Paul’s creativity - he was searching for diversification.
He tried everything, but the idea that stuck was cattle.
Paul began buying and feeding cattle in 1950 and was
one-third partner in what would become Cattle
Empire #1 by 1978. At that time Yard #1 was a 4,000
head yard built for custom feeding lightweight cattle.
Shortly after Paul took over day-to-day management of
Cattle Empire, his son Rex started managing the farm and
Paul leased a nearby yard, Cattle Empire #2.
Roy joined the business in 1995, adding a third yard
to Paul’s two. Roy continued to grow Cattle Empire
as Paul did, moving Cattle Empire from a one-time
capacity of 79,000 to 245,000, the fifth-largest feedlot
in the United States and the largest family-owned.
Roy and Paul welcomed the
third generation into Cattle Empire’s management
when Roy's daughter, Trista Brown Priest, came to work in 2008. Most recently, Becca Brown Wright, Roy's second daughter, came home to Cattle Empire in 2025.
After a strategic restructure in 2018
Cattle Empire now has a one-time
capacity of 53,000 head. Our new structure allows us to combine the experience and capabilities of a large yard, with the focus and attention you receive from a small, family operated yard. All within an hour of major packers, in the
“Heart of the Beef Feeding Empire.”
Our People
Roy Brown
Trista Brown Priest
Trista Brown Priest
Chairman of the Board/VP
Roy is the second generation of the Brown family to manage Cattle Empire. He grew up in Southwest KS and worked on the family farm throughout his childhood and high school days. Roy received his law degree from Tulane University and practiced law until 1996 when Roy and his wife, Laura, purchased what was then know
Chairman of the Board/VP
Roy is the second generation of the Brown family to manage Cattle Empire. He grew up in Southwest KS and worked on the family farm throughout his childhood and high school days. Roy received his law degree from Tulane University and practiced law until 1996 when Roy and his wife, Laura, purchased what was then known as Cattle Empire #3. Roy remains an attorney and was CEO of Cattle Empire from 1997 until summer of 2018. His favorite parts of the job are leading the organization in a team management style and trading cattle and commodities.
Trista Brown Priest
Trista Brown Priest
Trista Brown Priest
CEO
Trista Brown Priest is the third generation of the Brown family to work at Cattle Empire. She has worked in different capacities at the feedyard since she was 14 years old. She came back to Cattle Empire full-time following her graduation from Kansas State
University with her bachelor’s in business
management and marketing in 2008. She
CEO
Trista Brown Priest is the third generation of the Brown family to work at Cattle Empire. She has worked in different capacities at the feedyard since she was 14 years old. She came back to Cattle Empire full-time following her graduation from Kansas State
University with her bachelor’s in business
management and marketing in 2008. She then returned to Kansas State to pursue
her MBA in agriculture economics and
finance and graduated in 2012. Following
her graduation she assumed the role
of Vice President, and is currently the Chief Executive Officer.
Benjamin Fuentes
Trista Brown Priest
Benjamin Fuentes
Yard Foreman
Benjamin is the Yard Foreman for Cattle Empire and has been an employee since 2017. He grew up in Mexico working on a ranch with his father. Benjamin has 35 years of experience in the beef industry and has worked in almost every position from feeding, to maintenance, to management. Additionally, Benjamin is BQA certified, and
Yard Foreman
Benjamin is the Yard Foreman for Cattle Empire and has been an employee since 2017. He grew up in Mexico working on a ranch with his father. Benjamin has 35 years of experience in the beef industry and has worked in almost every position from feeding, to maintenance, to management. Additionally, Benjamin is BQA certified, and has licenses for Chemigation, fertilizer and pesticide application, and systems operator for drinking water. His favorite part of the job is working around cattle and says any day is a good day when the cattle are fed and treated well, and all employees go home with a smile on their face!
Tera Barnhardt
Trista Brown Priest
Benjamin Fuentes
Veterinary Consultant
Dr. Tera has worked at Cattle Empire since 2017. She grew up in Satanta, KS on a diversified farming and ranching operation and is still involved with cattle. Tera’s family told her she could be anything she wanted to be and with that great family support, started at Kansas State University in 2007. By 2015 Tera had a
Veterinary Consultant
Dr. Tera has worked at Cattle Empire since 2017. She grew up in Satanta, KS on a diversified farming and ranching operation and is still involved with cattle. Tera’s family told her she could be anything she wanted to be and with that great family support, started at Kansas State University in 2007. By 2015 Tera had a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.
Her favorite part of her job is having her boots on the ground every day, while practicing medicine in an industry that provides the world with a safe and nutritious protein!
Tim Murphy
Becca Brown Wright
Tim Murphy
Nutritionist
Dr. Murphy has been working with Cattle Empire in various capacities since 2002. Tim grew up in northwest North Dakota on a commercial cow/calf and farming operation. He graduated from North Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Range Science and went on to get his Masters in Ruminant Nutrition. Tim th
Nutritionist
Dr. Murphy has been working with Cattle Empire in various capacities since 2002. Tim grew up in northwest North Dakota on a commercial cow/calf and farming operation. He graduated from North Dakota State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Range Science and went on to get his Masters in Ruminant Nutrition. Tim then earned his doctorate degree in Ruminant Nutrition from Ohio State University. Tim’s aspiration as a consultant to Cattle Empire is to always enhance production levels and operational efficiencies.
Joe Matile
Becca Brown Wright
Tim Murphy
Cattle Marketing and
Procurement Director
Joe grew up in Eastern Kansas on a farming and ranching operation. Joe helped his father with the cattle and crops until he moved to Western Kansas in 1975. He graduated from the Flint Hills Vocational School in Emporia, KS and wears several hats at Cattle Empire. Joe works closely with our custom
Cattle Marketing and
Procurement Director
Joe grew up in Eastern Kansas on a farming and ranching operation. Joe helped his father with the cattle and crops until he moved to Western Kansas in 1975. He graduated from the Flint Hills Vocational School in Emporia, KS and wears several hats at Cattle Empire. Joe works closely with our customers, and leads cattle procurement and marketing. Joe also makes the weekly show list. His favorite part of his job is working with customers and helping market cattle.
Wayne Lee
Becca Brown Wright
Becca Brown Wright
Risk Manager
Wayne has worked for the Brown Family since 2007. He grew up in southwest Kansas and attended Southwestern Heights High School. Wayne graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Agricultural Business in December of 2003. His responsibilities as risk manager at Cattle Empire include cattle and grain risk managem
Risk Manager
Wayne has worked for the Brown Family since 2007. He grew up in southwest Kansas and attended Southwestern Heights High School. Wayne graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Agricultural Business in December of 2003. His responsibilities as risk manager at Cattle Empire include cattle and grain risk management, feed commodity procurement (such as dry corn, DDG, and forage), and customer relations. Wayne’s favorite part of working at Cattle Empire is the variety of tasks and challenges that he gets to work through daily.
Becca Brown Wright
Becca Brown Wright
Becca Brown Wright
Communications
Becca Brown Wright is part of the third generation of the Brown family to work at Cattle Empire. She has a varied skill-set as a result of the positions she has held since graduating from Kansas State University with a BS in Agricultural Communications. These positions include event planning, radio sales and eight years at
Communications
Becca Brown Wright is part of the third generation of the Brown family to work at Cattle Empire. She has a varied skill-set as a result of the positions she has held since graduating from Kansas State University with a BS in Agricultural Communications. These positions include event planning, radio sales and eight years at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Becca returned to Kansas to work at Cattle Empire in 2025.