Kimberly Ratcliff – Oakwood, Texas

Kimberly Ratcliff is trailblazing in the beef community as a modern-approach ranch manager, successful entrepreneur, and advocate for minority beef producers in Texas. Educated at Long Island University in marketing and computer science, Kimberly first held a corporate position at Bloomberg on Wall Street in New York. In 2007, she moved to Oakwood, Texas to manage Ratcliff Caney Creek Ranch, a diverse beef operation founded by her parents in 2002.

Covering 2,500 acres across Freestone, Leon and Houston Counties (with the main location in Oakwood), Ratcliff Caney Creek Ranch raises registered Charbray cattle for breeding, and Angus cross for beef, about 550 a season. Their breeding stock is sold nationally and internationally and the ranch also produces commercial cattle, horses, livestock feed resources, and has a direct-to-consumer meat company (Ratcliff Premium Meats). 

Kimberly and her family were featured in a CBS Saturday Morning special with Michelle Miller that explored her story and mission through her work on the ranch. Kimberly feels a behind-the-scenes peek at her ranch is a way for viewers to learn more about her unique story, the work she’s doing to support her community, see the passion and care that goes into producing pasture-raised beef, and also relate to the family dynamics of working closely with loved ones.  

In addition, Kimberly and her family appeared on season three of Beef Loving Texans’ popular “BBQuest” series. 

When Kimberley’s parents started Ratcliff Caney Creek Ranch, she was still fully immersed in her Wall Street career promoting the commodity platform for Bloomberg.

“I would talk with my parents on the phone daily,” she said. “They would keep me updated about the newest activities at the ranch and also reveal many of their challenges. Those daily conversations made me realize the disconnect between the commodity trading community and the agriculture community. This disconnect began my transition to move back to the ranch.”

To hone her skills before joining the ranch, Kimberly completed the Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University. She was the first African-American to go through the program, which also revealed a disconnect between the large number of Black agricultural producers in her area and the access to or awareness of resources available to them. 

“After graduation, I walked on the ranch thinking I was ready to change the operation immediately.  I just remember my parents firing me several times due to my aggressive approach,” Kimberly shared with a chuckle. “I’ve learned now that sometimes baby steps are the best approach.” 

While Kimberly’s mother passed away in 2019, her father, Wesley Ratcliff, is still involved with daily ranch duties. 

In 2024, Kimberly launched Ratcliff Community Base Organization (CBO), a nonprofit designed to assist Black producers and local youth with sustainable agricultural practices through education and minimizing barriers, including funding acquisition hurdles. Ratcliff Premium Meats also partners with Ratcliff CBO to provide services including assisting with genetic research on livestock, increasing the availability of fresh foods while focusing on environmental sustainability, and supporting underserved communities to further the nonprofit’s ultimate goal of connecting consumers with farmers in a healthy and holistic way.

“Having the ability to educate and assist a community I love is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,” Kimberly said.

Kimberly built Ratcliff Premium Meats to provide for and support her entire community—not just her own family. She partners with nearly 100 local cattle ranchers to purchase their cattle, process the meat, and sell it through her company.

“This is one of the most effective ways I can give back,” she says. “These ranchers are some of the hardest-working people you’ll ever meet. By supporting them, I’m putting money back into their pockets and helping ensure their ranches can thrive for generations.”

Kimberly estimates she works 60+ hours a week across the ranch, meat business, various speaking engagements and supporting Ratcliff CBO’s Executive Director, Gwendolyn Lusk. “One of the hardest parts about my job is trying to balance business and personal life,” she explained. “I always tell people (figuratively) that my husband and kids are my work.”  Kimberly enjoys walks on the ranch, fishing “in any type of water source” or sitting back to enjoy a slow-cooked brisket or roast.