Jason Robinson Reynoldsburg, Ohio Manager Jersey Marketing Service

What education are you bringing with you to this position?
My education has been through life experiences. I started looking toward livestock and dairy cattle while in the Miami Trace FFA program. Owning my own Ayrshires and Milking Shorthorns allowed me the first-hand experience with all of the preparations in attending and doing well at a show, starting with the care and feed program at home.

I had many mentors as I developed my fitting and caretaking skills for a show string. Don and Doug McKay of McKay Jerseys in Washington Court House, Ohio, had a strong impact on my future as I built my self-employed business of Orion Cattle Services.

I have been a student of the auction business, starting in high school and continuing as Orion Cattle Services became more involved. Being involved in the Miami Trace FFA consignment sales gave me an early insight to the behind-the-scenes workings of auctions, from the clerking to the preparation to the sale order to the load-out process.

Please describe your agricultural background.
I operated Orion Cattle Services since 1998, working more than 30 tie-up or commercial dairy sales annually. I have over 20 years of experience with livestock starting with FFA and working with dairy and beef cattle after high school.

I have served as a 4-H leader, been a member of the Fayette County (Ohio) Livestock and Sales Committees and I am a director of the Ohio Milking Shorthorn Society.

What territory will you cover?
I am working for Jersey owners located everywhere in the U.S. We are also reaching out for export opportunities, marketing live cattle and embryos overseas.

What are your new responsibilities?
As manager I am responsible for the day-to-day operations of Jersey Marketing Service (JMS).

What previous position have you held?
With my past self-employment I have worked with all breeds of dairy cattle, managing the care of groups large and small at sales and shows.

The American Guernsey Breeders Association, Modern Associates of St. Paris, Ohio, Brown Swiss Sale Service LLC of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and JMS have provided me with much of my experience.

What excites you most about working in your new role?
I am excited about joining Jersey Marketing Service as manager and look forward to working with its growing list of customers. My goal in business has always been to treat people the way I would want to be treated and to sincerely do a good job for buyers and sellers.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
Working with a high-quality team of field representatives, it is our job to match those who are buying Jersey cattle with those who are interested in selling.

Why did you choose this company?
I have worked with JMS as a sub-contractor since 2005. During that time, I have been able to develop a great working relationship with its staff and Jersey breeders. The sales and auction business is something I have studied and developed a passion for. I enjoy the traveling and meeting people. Working as an employee of JMS allows me to continue these passions along with new challenges and experiences.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
I would like to help move Jersey Marketing Service into the future with the introduction of online bidding through a new service called JerseyAuctionLive.com. It had a successful debut on March 24 at the Heartland Premier Production Sale in Kansas.

Increasing exports of Jersey cattle and embryos is another avenue I would like to develop. As JMS manager, I will strive to uphold only the highest integrity levels for myself and the sales company. Our team will sell Jersey genetics and market our customers’ animals in the most professional manner. PD