Glacier FarmMedia – Les Wall has ownership in three feedlots and a desire to retire, so the Wall family knew they had to get serious about succession planning. The family spent years planning and thinking about the future, and then took a giant step forward by joining EOS Traction, a business tool designed to bring discipline and accountability to their KCL Cattle Company business.
“We are heavily involved in succession planning. I buy and sell all the cattle, but when I retire, what does that look like?” said Wall.
The family is following the Traction program to help define each family member’s role in the business now and in the future.
Read Also
Body condition, nutrition and vaccination for brood cows
One of the remarkable events of the past century related to ranching has been the genetic evolution of brood cows….
The company has also hired a facilitator to guide planning and the family has a weekly team meeting where they discuss issues and personal and business bests.
The Walls were encouraged to use the Traction program after learning of others’ success, said Karleen Clark, Wall’s daughter, who oversees business operations.
“We are trying to figure out where we all fit with Les retiring and with our growth of the last few years. We are trying to figure out where we fit with our strengths,” said Clark.
The operation started in 1999 as a single 7,000-head feedlot and 160 acres. KCL Cattle Company, owned by Les and Lisa Wall, grew into a multi-feedlot company and farm with almost 6,000 acres of irrigated land.
The original feedlot north of Lethbridge has increased in size. In 2009 the company bought and expanded another feedlot near Coaldale and in 2023 bought the former City Packers feedlot, now called Beef City, all filled with KCL-owned cattle.
“I started with 700 head of my own. Now we have 100 per cent KCL cattle. That is quite an accomplishment, I think,” said Wall.
Karleen’s husband, Jared Clark, is in charge of daily operations and farm projects. Wall is in charge of buying and selling cattle. Each year family members gain more responsibility.
“The next generation has been very, very strong. We have been blessed that way. For us, they start at the ground level feeding, processing on a wage. Then they become part of the company. We have sold shares to the kids so they are owners. They could not start on their own. It is impossible,” said Wall.
His wife, Lisa, is retired, and another daughter, Celia, is in charge of community outreach, volunteering and social events. Both women are involved in big picture visions, said Clark.
“Mom has done so much and been really intentional that we are talking about succession all the time. Even though they don’t play a big part of the day-to-day operations, they are part of the visionary side. The big picture questions and decisions go up to them,” says Clark.
The family hopes to have all the roles and structure of KCL defined by the company’s year-end in August.
“It is pretty new but is the most succession planning and the most clarity in the succession planning we have done so far,” said Clark.
“We have tried different things over the years. It is a good, systemized way of structuring operations. It helps find the right person for the right seat.
“We are still defining roles and trying to figure where the current people land so we can see where we have a hole. If it takes longer, we will take longer. Succession planning is really important. We have got to get it right.”
Part of the transition is learning and absorbing Wall’s 25 years of knowledge in the industry, especially in buying and sell- ing cattle, she said.
“Les is not retiring yet. We are just being proactive. He has 25 years of knowledge.” Clark wonders if it would be best to take a staged approach, possibly learning from him for a year, then buying and selling cattle while he advises for another year.
“He is 70 per cent retired, but the 30 per cent he does is the most important.”
As the business has grown and matured, Wall said a key change has been hiring professionals instead of doing everything himself.
“You want to surround yourself with good people and people who are smarter than you.”
They now have a chartered accountant on staff and rely on veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure livestock health and diet.
“We have enough staff now where I don’t need to jump in a loader. I can buy and sell cattle. That is my main job. That takes a lot of focus,” said Wall, who is also part of the Allied Marketing Group formed 12 years ago.
That group started as a meeting of peers and grew into a group that jointly markets cattle and buys feed.
“To be involved in a peer group, you can talk to these guys. They are friends of mine now. I have a very understanding spouse who supports me 100 per cent,” said Wall.
