American Royal notes leadership changes in top positions

From Meat and Poultry: https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/33233-american-royal-notes-leadership-changes-in-top-positions

KANSAS CITY, KAN. — The American Royal, a Kansas City, Kan.-based non-profit, recently confirmed leadership changes, including Jackie McClaskey assuming the dual role of president and chief innovation officer and Pat Macy as chief executive officer.

McClaskey continues to lead the development of the New American Royal Campus, as well as the events, educational initiatives, and new programming. The organization said it expects to open the new barns on campus this fall.

“This campus is more than a construction project,” McClaskey said. “It is the physical expression of who we are and where we are going — a place built to champion food and agriculture, inspire future leaders, strengthen competition and education, and bring people together around an industry that touches every life, every day. After more than a century of tradition, we are not simply preserving our legacy; we are building a stronger, more relevant, more impactful American Royal for generations to come.”

In her roles at the American Royal over the last seven years, McClaskey has directed the design-build team, worked on capital campaign fundraising and public financing strategies.

Before joining the organization, she worked in the Kansas Department of Agriculture for eight years, including five years as Kansas Secretary of Agriculture. Before that, she worked as an assistant dean at Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture.

“Jackie will help insure that innovation abounds in our events, our educational initiatives, and in fulfilling our mission to convene food and agriculture thought leadership,” said Walt George, chair of the board at the American Royal.

The organization also announced the promotion of Pat Macy to CEO after previously working as managing director since Jan. 2025.

“I’m grateful to lead an organization with such a rich history in our community,” Macy said. “The American Royal is a part of the fabric of Kansas City, and I’m honored to be a part of building our next chapter. This year we’ll reinvest in the events and activities that have made us what we are, expanding our offerings as we open our new campus in KCK.”

Before joining American Royal, Macy held leadership roles at Cerner and Oracle, working with cross-functional teams and managing large-scale system implementation for large health care organizations. Some of the groups included the Mayo Clinic Health System, the University of South Alabama and the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Pat has over 10 years of leading American Royal initiatives and events — first as a dedicated volunteer and member of our Board, and most recently as our Managing Director,” George said. “His many skills and unwavering commitment to the vision and mission of the American Royal will bring the strong leadership we will need for the future.”

Along with two executive positions, American Royal also announced Jessica Marsh as director of events. She brings more than 15 years of event production experience and managed numerous events at Kansas City University and Motivation Through Incentives.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jessica Marsh to our leadership team as we grow our ability to put on world-class events and experiences,” Macy said. “Jessica’s depth of experience and her community connections make her exactly the right person to help us deliver on the promise of our new campus.”