Paul J. Brown

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.