FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Ted Katsigianis Honored with the NAILE Vision Award
By Jamie May
LOUISVILLE, KY-November 17, 2009—Every year new heifers fill the barns and new faces
crowd the stand. Association board members come and go, new judges share their opinion, and
new champions are selected. Results are never guaranteed at the North American International
Livestock Exposition (NAILE) beef show and each year things are different, well, except the
committee who puts it all together.
For the past thirty years, beef exhibitors at the NAILE who enter Freedom Hall coliseum
have recognized one familiar face: Dr. Ted Katsigianis. Katsigianis has served on the beef
committee at the NAILE since 1979.
For his dedication and service to the North American International Livestock Exposition
Dr. Ted Katsigianis was recently honored with the Newell G. Hicks Vision Award. The Vision
Award was initiated in 1992 as a tribute to Dr. Newell G. Hicks, who served as the NAILE
official veterinarian since its beginning, in 1974, until his death in 1992.
Katsigianis explains that this award is especially gratifying because of his deep respect
for Dr. Hick, “It’s an honor to get an award named after someone who was so influential on me
personally. He was a very bright individual who professionally was so ahead of his time, while
still such a fun person to be around.”
Dr. Katsigianis has had a very successful career in the livestock industry. Katsigianis
earned his doctoral degree in animal science from Penn State and began as a Livestock Extension
Specialist with the University of Kentucky. Katsigianis later moved on to the University of
Maryland before assuming in his current position as Vice President of Agriculture at the
Biltmore Estate in Ashville, N.C.
Biltmore Estate was opened in 1895 and is the largest home in America. Biltmore
Estates is comprised of more than 8,000 acres which encompasses the main home, a 213-room
inn, four restaurants, a massive forest and a diverse livestock and crop farm.
At Biltmore, Katsigianis has various responsibilities. Biltmore prides itself in being
completely sustainable and Katsigianis works intently on conservation and sustainability at the
estate. Biltmore grows all of their own lamb and beef and he oversees the 200-head Angus herd
and flocks of Dorset and Dorper cross sheep on the estate. All animals are finished on pasture
and are marketed as natural products.
Despite his responsibilities in North Carolina, Dr. Katsigianis always finds time to be in
Louisville, Ky., for the NAILE. Dr. Katsigianis says he comes back every year because he gets
to witness some of the most elite breeding stock in the nation walk through the show ring and it
helps him get ideas for his Biltmore’s program. “This is the most prestigious purebred show in
the country and as a professional in the livestock industry it is extremely valuable to be here
every November,” he states.
Dr. Katsigianis says that networks and reconnections made at the NAILE are also very
important. “These guys at the head table are some of my closet friends and I am sure our
connection is what makes the NAILE one of the smoothest run livestock shows in the world.
When people tell us that, it is extremely gratifying.”
The NAILE is an exhausting week for all of the beef committee, but Dr. Katsigianis
knows that the relationships and knowledge he has gained makes it completely worth it—and
keeps him coming back.
Dr. Ted Katsigianis is the 18th recipient of the Newell G. Hicks Vision Award. All
honorees are:
1992 Garland Bastin
1993 Dean Hurlbut
1994 Roy D. Gibson
1995 Claude L. Brock
1996 Larry Legg
1997 Linda Martin
1998 J ack Ragsdale
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Doug Sheperd
Jimmy Claycomb
Cecil Goodlett
Jean Callaghan
Chuck Grove
David Sparrow
Bill Turnquist
-end-
2006 David Snider
2007 Dr. John Moran
2008 Dr. John Johns
2009 Dr. Ted Katsigianis