WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT
SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2023 E3
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
2023 Women of Achievement nominees in BUSINESS
Traci Cummings
Dayna Wasserburger
Nominators: Becki Smith and Jessica Lawrence Traci Cummings is the founder and owner of the Wellness Journey Studio in North Platte. Its mission statement is: To support mind, body and spiritual goals through individual exercise, nutritional counseling and lifestyle coaching. A personal trainer, she has also designed corporate fitness programs for companies including Union Pacific, Nebraska Public Power District and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. Traci earned a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Becky Smith wrote of Traci: “As a woman in business, starting fresh was hard 20 years ago, let alone starting with one’s own business model. Initially, the number of women-owned businesses was minimal; the expectations of greatness were far more limited than the reality encouraged today. Regardless, Cummings demonstrated passion and a desire to thrive. She created her business and grew it to a local and online presence so she could better reach the rural areas of the state. She inspired others to grow similar businesses while maintaining professionalism and consistent clientele during change. She also volunteered time at local institutions by speaking with, teaching and training
Nominator: Greg Wilke Dayna and her husband, Trey, own TD Angus, the second largest registered Angus seedstock operation in Nebraska and one of the top 10 in the United States. She plays a key role in their whole operation, including marketing, accounting, payroll, annual seedstock registrations and genetic testing submissions and records. She handles cattle performance records and reporting to the American Angus Association as well as the transfer of Angus Association records and dispersal to customers after their sale. Dayna handles creation and distribution of the extensive breeding records for their 1,200-head cow herd. She hosts events and tours at TD Angus for visitors and delegations. Their annual bull sale is a massive project in and of itself, with Dayna handling the catalog, advertising videos, food, guest hosting and accounting. She is the coordinator of their Competitive Feed Test, which pays out $25,000 in cash prizes to their customers in five different performance categories. Dayna also handles their horse program. “The accomplishments of this young lady are remarkable for anyone’s career let alone for a person of just 33 years old,” said one nominator, Greg Wilke.
“She has amazing energy as a wife, mother of four children and business manager for their TD Angus Purebred cattle operation.” Before their purchase of the purebred Angus business in 2017, Dayna was the regional director of membership for Nebraska Farm Bureau for 17 counties in central and western Nebraska. In this role from 2014 to 2017, she assisted the Nebraska Farm Bureau county boards in promoting and growing the organization. She continues to promote agriculture in social media, speaking events and hosting events for both children and adults at their ranch. The purebred cattle business relies on data integrity on each animal in the registry including the proper DNA testing and matching. Dayna quickly learned the needed skills and has managed all cattle information and data in a period of dramatic growth of their business from selling 117 bulls in 2017 to selling 355 bulls this March. The cow herd more than tripled during this time period. "I feel we need more of these young professional women who can model how to be successful in the business while maintaining a balance in her personal life as a wife and mother," Wilke said.
many within their own walls.” In the community, she has been involved in the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships community health improvement plan through the West Central District Health Department; a committee member of the Healthy for Life program promoting healthy school lunch programs; Citizen Advocacy; Region II Mental Health, designing exercise programs to boost morale and reduce depression; Rape and Domestic Abuse Program, for which she has been honored as “Top Volunteer;” and Business and Professional Women. Jessica Lawrence wrote: “Traci is not only an amazing trainer, she genuinely cares for each person in her classes, taking interest in each of our lives and helping us find the best way to achieve our individual goals, as well as maintaining them.” Lawrence noted that Traci donates her time, talents and money to local nonprofits, and for 11 years has organized the free “Beer & a Mile” program, which welcomes anyone to participate. Lawrence also said that in the last year, Traci has overcome a critical health problem herself. As she recovered, many exercise programs in North Platte offered free or discounted services to Traci’s clients so she could recover without worrying about them.
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