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AMERICAN ROYAL NAMES PETERSEN AS PRESIDENT
Dec. 17, 2010
Source: American Royal Association news release
The American Royal Association of Kansas City has named Bob Petersen as its president and chief executive officer, effective January 1. Petersen has been serving as the group's interim COO since August 1.
Greg S. Maday, chairman of the American Royal, said the association was delighted to welcome Petersen onboard in a permanent capacity. "As we conducted our national search for the right person to lead this 111-year old Kansas City asset, we discovered we had the right candidate already on-hand - his enthusiasm, passion, and industry knowledge led us to conclude he was the right fit," Maday said. He continued, "My compliments to the American Royal's search committee, led by our Chairman-elect, David Fowler, for their thorough and patient approach to this important task."
As president and CEO of the American Royal, Petersen will assume the helm of one the region's most venerable and well-known institutions. The American Royal's fall season includes such events as livestock and horse shows, rodeo, and the world's largest barbecue competition. The association has a full time professional staff of 14 which is augmented by a large volunteer base that allows the group to hold 40-some events over an 11-week period in the fall.
"I am pleased and honored to be part of the American Royal. I look forward to working with our leadership, staff, volunteers and community to advance the Royal's purpose to serve youth, education, and scholarship while highlighting agrarian values," Petersen said.
Petersen's background reflects a lifetime commitment to agriculture. Most recently, he has operated his own consulting business which provides management services to various agricultural trade associations, including the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. From 2000 to 2004, he served as president and CEO of the Kansas City Board of Trade. For 20 years prior to that he worked for the Washington, D.C.-based National Grain Trade Council, serving as its president for the last 18 years of that stint. He is a native of Nebraska, where he grew up on a family ranch.
The American Royal Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that has been a Kansas City tradition since 1899. Each year during the months of September, October and November, more than 270,000 people attend the American Royal. In 2010, the Royal was able to give nearly $2 million in scholarship and educational awards. In addition to its educational mission, the American Royal generates some $70 million of economic impact, $4.4 million in local tax revenues, and supports 450 jobs.
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