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Cattle Marketing Hall of Fame
The Cattle Marketing Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to competitive marketing and true price discovery. These men and women are the backbone of the cattle industry. Their efforts ensure a competitive marketplace, the foundation of the American Cattle Industry. Without price discovery we become price-takers and lose our way of life.
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Tom Frey
Centennial Livestock Auction
Tom grew up in Eastern Nebraska and started his auction and auctioneer profession in the ring and alleys of the Columbus Sales Pavilion in Columbus, Nebraska. He spent nearly 20 years at Centennial Livestock Auction in Fort Collins, Colorado, prior to purchasing Creston Livestock Auction, Inc., in 1999. After successfully operating the Creston market for 20 years, Tom and Leisa sold the market and moved back to their beloved Colorado roots in 2019. Since, Tom has returned to work at Centennial Livestock Auction.
Tom is a past president of the Iowa Livestock Auction Markets Association, 2010 International Livestock Auctioneer Champion, 2009 Reserve World Champion Auctioneer, 2009 Greater Midwest Champion Livestock Auctioneer and several-time Top Ten World Livestock Auctioneer.
Tom and his wife, Leisa, are blessed with seven children and four grandchildren, Reegan and Coltyr Wayne, Tate Thomas and Noelle Jayne. The Frey family also runs a 100 head, cow/calf operation. In his spare time, Tom enjoys spending time with family, hunting, fishing and keeping up with all the…
Michael T Samples
Farmers & Ranchers Livestock
Mike Samples was born November 21, 1949 in Ontario, Oregon. His parents Jay and Ruth Samples with sister Brenda moved to Southeast Kansas shortly after Mike was born. Mike’s father bought an eighty-acre farm North of Erie, Kansas and that’s where Mike was raised. Jay worked in the oilfield and farmed until he ventured into building a Drive Inn Café called the B&M, named after his children.
When Mike entered high school at Erie his life made an abrupt change when he met his Vo-Ag teacher Ken Buntin. Mr. Buntin told him he had to have projects therefore, Mike then started farming, raising hogs and cattle. His involvement in FFA lead him to become Star Farmer of Kansas in 1967 and a State Officer in 1967-1968. Mr. Buntin was very instrumental in shaping Mike’s life and future direction.
While in high school a friend Tim Peak’s dad had a commission firm at the Parsons Stockyard Mike was fascinated with the commotion of a sale barn and went to the sale every chance he had. This lit a desire in Mike to become part of the Auction World.
During that time, he started driving and traveling with famous cattleman E.J. Peck and learned many things about the cattle industry.
In his younger years he worked for the Fredonia, Kansas market then later ran the Chanute Sale Barn for a short while before becoming the manager of the Parsons…