Five Rivers Cattle

Company Management

Mike Thoren
Chief Executive Officer

Mike Thoren has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Five Rivers since the Company’s inception. From 2003 until 2005, Mike was the President and CEO of ContiBeef LLC, a former wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Grain Company. Mike began his career with the Cattle Feeding Division of Continental Grain Company in 1991 and worked his way up through the Company as feedyard General Manager, Director of Feedlot Operations, Vice President of Operations, and CEO. Mike received his Master of Science in Agricultural Economics and Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from Washington State University. Mike is active in a number of local and national industry groups.

Jerri Lynn Magana
Chief Financial Officer

Jerri Lynn has served as the Senior Financial Officer for the Company since August 2009. Jerri Lynn began her career as the Accounting Manager at Colorado Beef in June 2005 and has served as Manager of Finance and Corporate Controller. In 2005, Jerri Lynn became a Certified Public Accountant. Jerri Lynn received her Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University.

John Foley
Vice President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer

John Foley has served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) since October 2013. John’s entire career has been with the cattle feeding industry, starting out with Continental Grain in 1996. Here he served in various roles starting as a Management Trainee and the most recent past nine years as General Manager of two of the companies southern feedlots. John received a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University and a Bachelor of Science in Range Management from Texas Tech University.

Ron Cook
Vice President, Information Technology

Ron Cook became Vice President of IT effective August 19, 2021. As a consultant, Ron has been a part of the Five Rivers family for over 16 years. Since May of 2006, Ron has served as our Software Architect and Development Manager. Ron, originally from Chicago, holds a Bachelors in Physics from the University of Georgia, an MBA in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University, and has served in the United States Air Force Reserve. Ron has led development teams with several companies including Accenture, Georgia-Pacific, and Southern Company primarily in Atlanta, New York, and Washington D.C.

Tom McDonald
SVP, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability

Tom McDonald has been Vice President – Environmental Affairs of Five Rivers since October 2006. Tom began his career with the Cattle Feeding Division of Continental Grain Company in 1995 as the Manager of Human Resources (Dalhart, Texas), and later that year, added environmental affairs to his responsibilities. He has held positions as Manager – Environmental Affairs, Senior Manager – Environmental Affairs, and Director – Environmental Affairs (through the Company's inception in May 2005 and until October 2006). Tom received a Master of Science in Beef Cattle Production and Management from University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from West Texas State University.

Donna Hendren
Vice President, Human Resources

Donna has served as the Senior Human Resource Officer since 2006. Starting out with Monfort of Colorado in 1976, Donna’s entire 40+ year career with the Company has been in management of HR with the meat packing division and then our cattle feeding company. Donna received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado in Mass Media Communications with an emphasis in Journalism.

Luke Lind
SVP & Chief Risk Officer

Luke Lind has served as SVP & Chief Risk Officer since October 2008. At the inception of Five Rivers in 2005, Luke served as Vice President of Marketing. Luke began his career with the Cattle Feeding Division of Continental Grain Company in 1993. From 1993 until 2005, Luke was the Manager of Business Development, Director of Marketing and then Vice President of Marketing for ContiBeef LLC, a former wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Grain Company. Luke worked as a Market Analyst for Cattle Fax from 1985 to 1993. Luke received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Colorado State University. Luke studied Finance at the University of Denver, and has completed several Executive Leadership Courses with the Darden and Stanford Business schools. Luke is active in a number of local and national industry groups.