Menu
Roachdale native Robert Hodgen named King Ranch CEO
HOUSTON — A Roachdale native is now at the helm of a well-known agricultural and resource management company.
The King Ranch, Inc., board of directors recently named Robert Hodgen the new president and chief executive officer of the company effective immediately.
Hodgen, 45, brings nearly 25 years of executive leadership and investment management experience in the agribusiness and food sectors to the role. Before joining King Ranch, Hodgen spent six years as managing director at AMERRA Capital Management, where the private equity team under his leadership invested in six agribusiness and aquaculture platform companies, and he served on the board of directors for two of those investments.
Prior to AMERRA, he served as senior vice president of J.D. Heiskell & Co., a 135 year-old family-owned company focused on livestock feed manufacturing, domestic and international grain trading and logistics as well as biofuels production.
He began his career within the Animal Nutrition Division management team of Cargill, Inc.
“King Ranch has a rich, world-renowned legacy. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the next CEO and look forward to leading such a competent and capable team,” Hodgen said. “Having been raised on a large-scale grain and cattle farm, the ag sector is what I know and love. I feel as if I have been preparing for this role my whole life and look forward to applying the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over my career to the many facets that make up the King Ranch.”
Hodgen holds a Bachelor’s of Science in animal science from Oklahoma State University and a Master’s of Business Administration in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of the California Ag Leadership Program (Class 36) and previously served as a director of the National Grain and Feed Association.
The North Putnam High School graduate is the son of Abe and Shirley Hodgen of Roachdale.
King Ranch Chairman John Alexander Jr. and John Steen III, vice-chairman, commented that the King Ranch board is looking forward to working with Hodgen, and is confident his broad professional experience and knowledge of finance- and ag-related investments make him a great choice to lead King Ranch into the future. The board and the family owners are also grateful to retiring CEO Robert Underbrink for his many years of leadership and service to the company.
King Ranch, Inc., is a privately-held agricultural production and resource management company established in 1853.
Headquartered in Texas and owner of the historic 825,000-acre King Ranch, its operations include cattle breeding and production, horses, wildlife management and recreation and the production of a number of agricultural commodities including cotton, milo, sugar cane, almonds and pistachios and various vegetables. King Ranch operates extensive turfgrass operations and is the majority owner of one of the largest citrus producers in the United States.
The company operates various retail operations including the King Ranch Saddle Shop, and has branding partnerships which include the Ford Motor Company.