Dru Uden is a third-generation cattle breeder from Franklin, Neb. He was raised on TC Ranch, which is nestled in the verdant Republican River Valley of south-central Nebraska.

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TC Ranch was started in the 1940s by his grandfather, with 20 head of registered Angus, focusing on continuous improvement in genetics. Since taking the helm of the ranch after the passing of his father, Vance, Uden has been striving to produce top-quality purebred Angus cattle for his customers.

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Uden grew up showing in 4-H, FFA and the NJAA. He and his family traveled widely with show heifers, and he showed at numerous state fairs throughout his childhood.

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Uden attended college at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., where he was active in livestock judging and rodeo team. Uden did an internship at Beartooth Ranches in the mountains of Montana and gained a wealth of knowledge on not only herd management, but the rigors of ranching from a business perspective. During his time in Montana, Uden served on the NJAB from 1996-1998 and was elected vice president while serving his second term in 1998.

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From 2009-2013, Uden was on the Nebraska Angus Association board of directors and was president in 2014. He served on the board of directors of the Franklin Country Club from 2000-2008 and the board of the Franklin State Bank from 2010-2019. Along with being a dedicated family man, he is a lifetime member of the American Angus Association and was Nebraska Producer of the Year.

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He and his family live and work on the ranch and are active in the community and school system, supporting hometown sports teams and organizations. His wife, Rochelle, is an active member of the ranch and guides the younger children, Waylon, Ruby and Harrison, as they grow up with a love of ranching and horsemanship. Hannah and Tavin have grown up in NJAA and are involved in the day-to-day operations of the ranch.

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Uden stays current with the latest technology while simultaneously keeping his focus on tried-and-true methods that consistently work for herd improvement. He has judged many shows including the national show hosted in Mexico, North American International Livestock Exhibition (NAILE), NWSS and National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest, along with numerous state and county fairs.

Focusing on performance and growth traits along with keeping quality replacement heifers, Uden has built a versatile program around ET. His love for the breed includes all facets of the industry from producing outstanding bull crops and marketing registered females to showing cattle. TC Ranch hosted their 47th annual bull sale in February.

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Uden enjoys traveling the country delivering bulls and visiting ranches, so he can listen to what cattlemen want from breeders and apply that to his program to give back to the breed that has made his life so fulfilling.

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In 2012 Uden had the opportunity to send genetics outside the country to be a small part in the genetic base of the rapidly growing Angus herds of Russia. The exporting of more than 200 head of heifers and 70 bulls was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. TC Ranch was honored to be a part of it.

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If elected to the board, Uden will bring years of experience from serving on numerous boards with the level-headedness needed to think through any situation, and come to the best conclusion to advance the American Angus Association and help maintain its position at the forefront of the beef industry.