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Paul J. Brown
Cattle Empire
Paul Brown was drawn to western Kansas by the allure of good soil and the potential for irrigation. He started running cattle in 1961 to counteract the cyclical nature of farming. It was the start of a career that would allow Paul to make a name for himself as an honest, hardworking cattleman in southwest Kansas. In 1978, Paul transitioned the farming operation to his eldest son so he could focus on his newly purchased 4,000-head custom feedyard, Cattle Empire. Today, Cattle Empire has a one-time capacity of 245,500 head in five facilities, is the fifth largest feeding operation in the country, and is still family owned and operated. Paul and his wife, Evelyn have four children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
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Robert G. “Bob” Gottsch
Gottsch Cattle Company
Bob Gottsch grew up on farms in eastern Nebraska during the Great Depression. After high school, he served in the U.S. military police in Germany. When he returned from World War II, Bob tried college, but didn’t like it – he wanted to be working. Bob and his brother hauled corn and cattle and delivered fuel around Elkhorn for a few years, then started feeding cattle on a leased lot. Bob fed other people’s cattle until he could afford his own. Bob expanded his Elkhorn feedlot through the years and added a location in Red Cloud, Nebraska, where he eventually had 42,000 head. He partnered with Ken Morrison in the 40,000-head Juniata (Nebraska) Feedyard and added a Kansas feedyard that exceeded 50,000 head. Bob Gottsch died in 2002. His sons have continued to build the business.
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