Red Angus unveils reimagined communications leadership team

A new era for the Red Angus Association of America, Commerce City, Colorado, has started with five new hires to lead efforts in the realignment of the communications department.

The team will serve the membership by intentionally communicating association news, industry updates and expanding the visibility of Red Angus cattle across the United States.

Led by Luke Bolin, director of communications, Fayetteville, Arkansas, the team consists of Samantha Corn, Franklin, Texas; Jennifer Hudlow, Okeene, Oklahoma; Jared Farley, Gunnison, Colorado; and Faye Smith, Manhattan, Kansas.

“Expect the unexpected from this new communications team,” Greg Ruehle, executive vice president, said. “From a digital-first approach to captivating content and timely messaging, Red Angus breeders and supporters are in store for an exciting new look for day-to-day messaging.”

Meet the team

Starting the position in January, Bolin serves as the newly appointed director of communications. In this position, Bolin will lead the department’s efforts in communication strategy across print, digital and social platforms. He will oversee a unified communications strategy and team that elevates the Red Angus brand, connects with producers and breeders, and supports the mission of the association.

Prior to joining the RAAA team, Bolin spent 13 years with Sullivan Supply, where he was an integral part of the company’s communications, marketing and creative direction. Throughout his time in that role, he developed marketing strategies and campaigns, built a strong brand identity and developed innovative practices to connect with livestock producers and exhibitors across the United States.

Bolin has developed strong roots in the cattle industry. As a teenager, he developed a passion for showing livestock and the Shorthorn breed, leading him to become the first individual from Arkansas elected to serve on the American Junior Shorthorn board of directors. He also completed internships with the American Hereford Association and American Shorthorn Association, creating an appreciation for and passion to work within the breed association space.

Hailing from Texas, Corn brings a strong background in agricultural communications, marketing and the cattle industry. As the digital marketing specialist, Corn will build and develop a digital presence in the beef industry. She will lead a digital strategy that brings the Red Angus story to life.

Corn earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications and journalism from Texas A&M University in 2022 and is currently pursuing a Master of Marketing from the university.

Raised on a commercial cattle ranch in Franklin, Texas, she grew up showing steers across the state and was heavily involved in both 4-H and FFA. Her passion for the livestock industry led her to compete on the livestock judging team at Blinn College. While attending Texas A&M, she also served as an editor and photographer for an edition of Agrileader, a student-led publication.

Prior to joining RAAA, Corn spent two years as a program assistant for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, where she managed professional development resources for agriculture and natural resources county Extension agents. Her work focused on developing online training libraries and managing internal websites that provided agents with timely resources and advancement opportunities.

She also completed an internship with the American-International Charolais Association before moving into a full-time role as communications and events coordinator, where she gained experience in breed association communications, event coordination and industry storytelling.

Hudlow, a sixth-generation beef producer, is serving as the newly appointed industry partnership specialist. In this role, Hudlow will help drive revenue growth and strategic partnerships that expand the association’s reach, create measurable value for industry stakeholders and support long-term investment in programs that grow Red Angus influence.

In her previous position, Hudlow served as the livestock judging coach at Northern Oklahoma College, where she recruited, taught and mentored more than 100 students during her tenure. During her time at NOC, she led teams that won multiple national titles and All-American awards.

Her passion for agriculture started on her family’s purebred Shorthorn operation in northwest Oklahoma. Her involvement with cattle production, junior livestock programs and the show industry has given her a strong understanding of the importance of relationships within the community.

Her educational pursuits took her to Oklahoma State University, where she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. With a background in livestock judging, Hudlow developed an extensive industry network, knowledge and interpersonal skills that translate well to this partnership-focused role.

Farley joins the team from Colorado as creative content specialist. Through his experience and talent for visual storytelling, Farley will help tell the Red Angus story through video, photography and multimedia storytelling. He will showcase what brings the breed to life across ranches, sale barns, feedlots and show rings.

An avid outdoorsman, Farley utilized his talents in a previous position to develop creative services for outdoor media productions and gear companies, specializing in commercial video production, podcast production and media design. His productions have been selected for two recent film festivals, and he co-founded a Colorado-based media house.

Growing up on a cow-calf operation in Washington, Farley spent his childhood showing cattle and learning the importance of agriculture. Throughout his life, he has maintained a strong connection to the industry while pursuing a career outside agriculture.

With a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications from Western Colorado University, Farley prides himself on bringing an “outside perspective” that will help create content that engages audiences in new ways.

Smith joins the Red Angus team as managing editor of Red Angus Magazine, combining her passion for the cattle industry and publication expertise. In this role, Smith looks forward to evolving Red Angus Magazine into the industry’s most trusted and sought-after breed publication.

A Kansas State University graduate, Smith learned through multiple hands-on ventures about the importance of storytelling and visual communication in enhancing brand identity. Prior to joining RAAA, she served as a brand manager and graphic designer for Rural Route Creations, an agricultural marketing agency, and completed internships with the American Hereford Association and Angus Journal.

Throughout her career, she has been honored with a print feature award from the Kansas Farm Bureau agricultural reporting awards and was selected as a finalist for the Livestock Publications Council’s Forrest Bassford Student Award.

Growing up on a Shorthorn and commercial cattle operation in Kansas, Smith spent her life involved in the cattle industry. Through her leadership on the AJSA board of directors, including serving as president, she learned the importance of member engagement and breed promotion.