Donald Butler was appointed Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture on July 9, 2003. A childhood resident of Illinois and a United States Air Corp veteran, Mr. Butler began his long career in the cattle business after earning his B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Arizona.

Mr. Butler evidenced his commitment to public service early on as University of Arizona Student Body President and as a member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity. His graduation from the university was marked by the honor of being awarded the Freeman Medal as Outstanding Male Graduate.

After starting out in Phoenix at the Tovrea business locale, where the Cudahy meat plant was located, Mr. Butler later joined the banking profession managing various departments, supervising livestock loans, appraisals and the documention and evaluation of livestock credits. Through the years, his banking experience would include professional involvement in marketing and purchasing various types and classes of calves, feeder cattle and slaughter cattle with the added benefit of residing in agriculture centers around Arizona such as Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma.

In 1965, Mr. Butler became Vice President and Manager of Investment Research of the Southwest, managing apartment real estate, speculative land and real estate sales in southwestern Arizona. Soon after, he became President fo Coronado Cattle Company, Inc. wherein he managed and directed cattle feeding operations for investors, professional feeders and corporations in more than twenty-two commercial feed yards in Arizona, California, Texas, Kansas, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nebraska. His accounts included U.S. Trust Company of New York, Greyhound Corporation, Arizona grain corporations, numerous individuals as well as Mexican cattle associations and Mexican banks. His Coronado Cattle Company, Inc. involvement continues today.

From 1989 through 1992, Mr. Butler served as President of the Monterey County Cattle Feeders, Inc. In Gonzales, CA, and later as Chairman and President of Shasta Foods International, Incorporated in Los Angeles, CA. Both positions involved financial structuring and nutritional restructuring of feedyard operations and international trade relationships but it was with Shasta, an international integrated beef production company, that Mr. Butler was able to put to use his previous experience with cattlegrowing and contacts with Japan and in Washington, D.C.

Since 1992, Mr. Butler has been President of Agrolink Corporation. Agrolink is a Tucson business established to promote international agribusiness and to provide financial expertise in transactions between Mexican and United States businesses pursuant to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Public service has been a passion of Mr. Butler's because, as he says, "I believe in paying rent for the space you occupy." In 1977, he became a Director of the United States Meat Export Federation and accepted the position of Chairman in 1983 and 1984. A long-time member of the National Cattlemen's Association, Mr. Butler accepted a leadership position in 1984, ultimately serving as president in 1986.

Mr. Butler again answered the call to service when he was asked to sit on the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, specifically on it Advisory Council on Small Business and Agriculture. Mr. Butler was appointed Chairman in January 1993 and served until January 1996.

Mr. Butler's service to his country has included his role as Chairman of the United States Department of Interior Public Land Advisory Committee, Director on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Director on the Boy Scouts of America Cataline Council, Chairman of the Arizona Racing Commission, Chairman of the University of Arizona Alumni Association, Board member of the National Alpha Zeta Foundation and President of the Southwestern Fair Commission. His leadership skills have been shared throughtout his professional career as he served on such groups as the United States Department of Agriculture Export Enhancement Committee, the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, the Arizona Western College Board and the Arizona Cattle Feeders.

As recipient of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Citation of Distinguished Service and the United States Meat Export Federation Distinguished Service Award, Donald Butler is recognized as the agribusiness expert and valued public servant he is.