Joe and Jenn Wheeling

Joe and Jenn Wheeling are the owners of James Ranch Beef and The Gardens at James Ranch in Durango, Colorado. As part of the James Ranch team, they have worked to create the brand of James Ranch since their return to the ranch in 1995. They are eager community collaborators in conservation, bio-controls, soil development, water management systems and regenerative practices. As practitioners of the Delegated Meeting Process, Joe and Jenn have helped to create organizational systems with in the family and facilitate family management processes and succession planning.

Married for 38 years, they have two daughters who were raised on the ranch and have gone on to professional careers in law and accounting. Both Joe and Jenn graduated from Colorado State University, Joe got his MBA in Finance and Strategic Planning from The Wharton School of Business while Jenn got her advanced degree from the University of Life.

To learn more about how the James family is running multiple businesses effectively, read their recent blog post with HMI.

2024 Roundtable Facilitators

Agricultural Management & Asset Transfer Opportunities & Challenges

2023 Plenary

Adapting and Innovating through the Lumps and Bumps of a Complex Family Business

We will share the adaptations and innovations we have employed on the James Ranch to allow several generations to live and work together on the same piece of land while sharing the common goal of responsible stewardship. We will talk about how we updated our 30 year old Holistic goal to reflect the second and third generation’s involvement in the ranch as well as our creation of a governing body for the ranch. In the midst of all of this, we will be highlighting the importance of family meetings and the Delegated Meeting Process which is designed to achieve a maximally effective meeting while empowering the participant’s individual growth and confidence.