Cultivating Success

Wendy Feik Pinkerton

is a senior partner with Demeter Communications. She is a nationally recognized communications expert in food, agricultural and other science-based issues. One of her favorite activities is to work with farmers, ranchers, growers, researchers, manufacturers and food professionals to provide practical advice on effective communications.

Pinkerton has been called upon by a variety of groups to conduct communications training, including: American Soybean Association/DuPont Young Leaders, Midwest Dairy Association, American Meat Science Association, Federation of Animal Science Societies, Holstein Foundation, FCS Agri-Bank, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation.

She worked for the National Live Stock and Meat Board as the research communications expert for several years, having been instrumental in many hallmark issues management initiatives. Pinkerton was the purebred livestock editor for Vance Publishing Co.'s Drovers Journal and has contributed numerous articles to food and agricultural publications. She was a major fundraiser for the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, working with alumni and corporations to develop support for department and college efforts. In addition, she was an independent consultant for several years.

Pinkerton holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural communications from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science degree from the University of Florida; her course of study focused on meat product development, consumer marketing, media management and human nutrition.

Random Acts

Pinkerton grew up on her family's Little Creek Farm in northern Illinois. They raised Duroc hogs and Simmental cattle. In 1971, her father and grandfather brought one of the first purebred Simmental bulls into the U.S. from Canada.
During graduate school, Pinkerton and her fellow meat science graduate students ran a successful catering business.
As part of her graduate school studies at the University of Florida, Pinkerton helped research and define alligator meat nutritional values for the USDA.
During Fighting Illini basketball season, it's customary for the entire Pinkerton family to be adorned in orange.
While working at Drover's Journal she met her future husband, Gary, who was the publication's news/production editor. They have been married since 1984.

Brushes with Greatness

As a 12-year-old, Pinkerton won the national Duroc (swine) picture judging contest.
Pinkerton served as the first National Simmental Queen from 1979-80. She traveled the country representing the cattle breed at livestock shows, conventions and national meetings.
Her son Aaron is an exceptional baseball player and rattles off stats for almost every major league player and team, no doubt inheriting his mother's statistical abilities. She hopes his aptitude will fund his college education and his parent's retirement.

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