Meet our experts
Introducing more than 50 professionals with an incredible amount of passion for what we do. Get to know us. We’re the ones changing the image of the cattle industry.
It should go without saying that we love what we do.
We spend a lot of time getting to know the people we work with, and now it’s your turn to learn more about us.
Leadership
Todd Drake
Chief Executive Officer
Aaron Goldsmith
President/Chief Financial Officer
Ryan Gieck
Brandon Hinck
Director of Services
Grant Rathje
Director of Operations
Sales & Marketing
Jim Phillips
Sr. Market Analyst
Cameron Eckmann
Sr. Cattle Business Manager
Alex Gerdes
Sr. Advantage Manager
Noah Blomendahl
Cattle Business Manager I
Ryley Spatz
Cattle Business Manager I
Gavin Cooper
Cattle Business Manager I
Chase Nordhues
Cattle Business Manager II
Ted Fanta
Advantage Manager
Gage Cantrell
Advantage Manager
Dominic Bragg
Advantage Manager
James Hogan
Market Analyst
Ross Spencer
Market Analyst
Kristen Lange
Marketing Manager
Katelyn Downing
Marketing Administrative Associate
Finance
Kyle Holtmeyer
Controller
Jodi Tish
Senior Staff Accountant
Max Schneider
Staff Accountant
Mindi Hellbusch
Staff Accountant
Seth Willets
B4W Feeders Operations Manager
Brad Kempfert
Operational Accountant
Matt Kathol
Operational Accountant
Cattle Feeding
Kristi Drake
Feedyard Manager
Rob Tucker
External Cattle Feeding Manager
Damon Sunderman
Nodaway Feedyard Foreman
Colten Drake
Cattle Strategy Manager
Richie Volz
Feedyard Operations
Doug Cooper
Feedyard Operations
Andy Hackett
Cattle Health Specialist
Dustin Larison
Feeding Specialist
Wyatt Baker
Feedyard Operations
Kody Syverson
Feedyard Operations
Francis Cullen
Maintenance
Operations
Tiana McKee
Human Resources Specialist
Jack Brady
Operations Specialist
Shane Duffy
B4W University
Services
Dana Morgan
Senior Ingredient Merchandiser
Crystal French
Commodities Trade Specialist Manager
Chris Beyer
Senior Ingredient Merchandiser
Jeffrey Katz
Ingredient Merchandiser
Carlos Munoz
Ingredient Merchandiser
Ryan Schroeder
Ingredient Merchandiser
Zach McMillin
Logistics Merchandiser
Beth Baudler Christensen
Beef Nutrition Specialist
Cole Bonde
Beef Nutrition Specialist
Karissa Bennett
Blended Operations Manager
Taylor Hull
Commodities Trade Specialist
Josh Woods
Commodities Trade Specialist
Brent Schrader
Mill Manager
Dave Bass
Feed Delivery Operator
Cole Swenson
Blended Feed Delivery
Anthony Allen
Blended Feed Delivery
Kobi Nowels
Blended Feed Delivery
Vanessa Krause
Nodaway Office Manager
Fire & Salt Co.
Mason Brown
Store Manager
Bradyn Thompson
Assistant Store Manager
Jeremy Wheeler
Beef Technician
Josie Fannon
Beef Technician
Todd Drake
Chief Executive Officer
Founder and CEO of Balance4ward, Todd Drake started his career in Emporia, Kansas, working in animal health distribution sales after graduating college at NWMSU in Maryville, Mo. He would later return to his home region in southwest Iowa, to build his ranch and first-generation feed yard with his wife Kristi and two sons. After building the feed yard with zero farming efficiencies, it didn’t take long to see he needed to be better at sourcing ingredients. With the help of the ethanol boom, he started New Balance Commodities to help fill a feed procurement void of the timing of contracting and logistics.
While the success of New Balance Commodities was undeniable, it was evident it wasn’t going to make the impact Todd wanted to keep the mid-market cattleman thriving. The pivot to Balance4ward was the natural next move. The pivot was made by Todd reaching out for help. He hired a mentor who had scaled a business and taken it public. With this change came the recommendation to form a board of directors. For personal leadership development he joined Vistage a worldwide CEO group that meets regularly. Todd, along with his team at Balance4ward are now leading the charge of an even bigger opportunity of building a better beef supply chain for the mid-market cattleman.
Todd is a consistent advocate for the cattle industry and relies on his experiences to continue to build trust amongst himself and cattlemen across the Midwest. His passion for leveling the playing field for mid-market cattlemen has taught him many lessons and given him many mindset changing experiences. Todd says, “Cattlemen are genuine, grounded in faith, and have a deep respect for doing the hard things that most of society cannot fathom.”
Aaron Goldsmith
President/CFO
Aaron grew up in Lincoln, NE and attended the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, studying Ag Business. His Ag connection stems from his family being in the dairy industry in south central Kansas. Aaron started as a commodities broker and spent several years outside of the ag business in the packaging and label industry. He came back to ag with those skills and experiences 10 years ago. On his path to leadership, Aaron has done every job in the company except clean water tanks.
Ryan Gieck
Director of Finance
Ryan grew up in the ag industry on a ranch in Colorado. After graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in accounting, he began a career in banking. Ryan has spent the past 20+ years in production agriculture, mainly dairy and cattle feeding. In October of 2020 Ryan was hired as the Director of Finance.
Brandon Hinck
Director of Services
With a strong connection to the ag industry, Brandon grew up on a farm in west central Missouri where he had a 600 sow swine operation that he farrowed to ween. As well as a small row crop and cow calf operation. He went to Northwest Missouri State University and majored in Ag Business. Brandon started with the company in 2017 as a logistics merchandiser. He then entered feed merchandising/sales for the Missouri Territory as Ingredient Merchandiser and was then promoted to Merchandising Manager. Later, Brandon was promoted to leadership as the director of merchandising. Recently, he has taken on the role of Director of Services.
Grant Rathje
Director of Operations
Grant grew up in Seward, NE, where his family ran a successful seedstock cattle operation, selling Simmental genetics across North America. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness and Marketing. Grant has previously worked in the animal health industry, where he supported cattle feeders and pork producers across the Midwest. After earning his MBA at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Grant worked as a leadership coach and facilitated leadership development programs for companies across the Midwest from industries including agriculture, healthcare, construction, tech, banking, and more. Grant is passionate about advancing the cattle industry and developing people to reach their full potential.