About Us

Dr. Patrick Zimmerman was the Director of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and a professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology when he founded C-Lock Inc in 2005 he specializes in engineering education, technology development, and research. Zimmerman's research career has spanned nearly four decades. Research Profile

Scott Zimmerman is the president at C-Lock Inc. He has many years of experience with numerical modeling and large databases, and has a solid background in analytical measurements. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Washington State University and a master's degree in water resource engineering and hydraulics from the University of Iowa.

Tom Zimmerman is the lead person for parts development and assembly. He understands every part and component inside our instruments and how to repair and maintain them. He has a degree in interdisciplinary science from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

With over 25 years of senior executive experience across startups, small to mid-sized businesses, and global consumer goods organizations, Del is a dynamic leader renowned for driving revenue and profit growth. He excels at transforming vision into tangible results, building brands, and achieving ambitious business objectives. Del's expertise spans strategic planning, business development, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, investor relations, product development, branding, and international expansion. As COO of Agaia Latin America, he successfully managed operations across multiple countries, generating over $10 million in revenue. He co-founded Orinoco Spirits LLC, where he spearheaded the distribution of French spirits in Latin America, and served as CEO of MPI Franchising Ltd., successfully expanding an American franchise into seven countries. His executive roles at Pernod Ricard and Joseph E. Seagram & Sons contributed to a remarkable growth of over $55 million in Latin America. Del holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Hartford and has received advanced training from Columbia University and the Center for Creative Leadership.He brings a wealth of experience and a passion for innovation, making him a valuable asset to our leadership team.

Mike leads our electrical engineering department, programming and also is the head of our support team. He has been instrumental in development and support of our products. He has an electrical engineering degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Dan has had over 30 years in the Feed and Nutrition Industry with experience in sales, operations, and senior-level management. He’s using his experience in implementing effective strategies to lead our growth and manage our high-performing sales, service, and marketing teams. Dan’s passion is creating solutions for the livestock sector of agriculture. His focus is on improvements in feed and management efficiency, long-term industry sustainability, and industry network collaboration. He also wishes to provide long-term profitability in the livestock sector. Dan believes that C-Lock's products and services provide safe and humane answers to assist producers in feeding the world.

Marcus Mann has a Mechanical Engineering degree from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. With ten plus years of experience in metal fabrication and design this includes designing and building new parts or fixtures. He leads our operations team here at C-LOCK. As a team we ensure that we produce a quality product for our customer as safely as possible.

Meredith Harrison has earned her PhD in Animal Biology with an emphasis in feedlot production systems from the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on the combined application of precision livestock technologies and mathematical models to improve beef and dairy production biological and economic efficiency. Meredith has substantial experience with statistics, experimental design, data management, and modeling. She has developed models to predict methane emissions, dry matter intake, feedlot cattle growth and composition, and to optimize profitability. In addition to her modeling experience, Meredith has significant knowledge of feedlot cattle nutrition and management. Meredith believes in continuous improvement of livestock production efficiency and sustainability through technology, data, genetics, and management.

Janay Wittek brings over two decades of strategic marketing expertise to C-Lock Inc., specializing in driving growth and brand visibility for innovative and sustainability-focused organizations. With a strong background in B2B marketing and agriculture, Janay excels at crafting data-driven strategies, fostering customer engagement, and delivering impactful campaigns that align with company goals

Her career spans leadership roles in marketing management, where she has demonstrated a keen ability to identify market trends, optimize product positioning, and build collaborative partnerships across diverse industries.

Janay holds a deep commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, leveraging her experience to enhance C-Lock’s brand presence and expand its reach globally. Beyond her professional pursuits, she is an advocate for empowering teams and fostering creativity to achieve lasting results.

Brandon Peterson grew up on a diversified livestock family farm in Southeast South Dakota and later went on to graduate from South Dakota State University in 2000 with a degree in Animal Science. After graduation, Brandon started his professional sales career in the commercial feed industry and then moved to independent nutrition consulting work. His first management role came at a premium forage distribution company and he also oversaw business development for Hydrogen Global Technologies where he worked to improve nutritional sustainability and reduce carbon footprints. Brandon most recently served as Director of Sales at Trans Ova Genetics and led the efforts of expanding distribution and laboratory services around the globe. Brandon has a passion for ruminant improvement as he is the owner and operator of Peterson Angus near Alcester, South Dakota, where he resides with his wife, Becky, and their two sons, Blake and Brady. Brandon is committed to transforming livestock production and empowering producers to achieve sustainable genetic progress while increasing profitability.

Ryan Kent is the Customer Support Manager with C-Lock and has over 15 years experience in logistics and customer support. He excels at problem solving and is determined to develop relationships that will support collaboration for years to come. Ryan is a SD native glad to be home again after 11 years in Washington. He has a bachelors of science in business administration degree from the University of South Dakota.

Degong is a graduate of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences with a PhD in animal science with specialization in animal nutrition and management. During his studies in Sweden he focused on forage quality in Nordic conditions and the effects of dietary factors on ruminant greenhouse gas emissions. Degong utilized our GreenFeed units and after 7 years of study and research with 10 journal publications, and leading several conferences he has joined our team. Reach out to Degong for any questions about our products.

Heather has had over 30 years’ experience in the Beef Cattle Industry. She acquired her B.S in Agriculture Education from Auburn University and M.S in Agri-Science Technology Education. Heather spent 20 years as a multi-county beef cattle specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension before transitioning to a sales and technical support role in precision livestock technology in both the cow calf and feedlot sectors. Originally from a small seedstock farm in Alabama, she is now based in Torrington Wyoming along with her husband Dennis and two children, Sam and Sarah, where they own and operate DHB Herefords. Heather is passionate about precision technology. Please reach out to Heather for any questions about our products.

Daniel is originally from Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, where he helped build his family’s cow/calf operation from the initial few heifers to holding production sales each fall. He acquired his B.S. in Animal Science from Iowa State, while competing on the livestock judging team. After moving to Kansas, Daniel and his fiancé, Alyssa, launched Regal Cattle; an angus-based operation located in the Flint hills. Assisting cattlemen is always at the forefront of Daniel’s mind; since 2020, he has coordinated with producers nationwide in marketing and selling their cattle and embryos. He is extremely passionate about optimizing cattle genetics and believes C-Lock’s equipment offers a distinct advantage. For any inquiries about our products, please contact Daniel.

Robert's journey began in Minnesota, where he attended Concordia College in Moorhead. There, he pursued majors in International Relations and Spanish, which ignited his passion for global affairs and cultural exchange. His academic pursuits took him beyond the borders of the United States, as he embarked on a transformative study abroad experience in Pamplona, Spain. It was during this time in Spain that Robert fell in love with the country's vibrant culture and decided to make it his home with his family. Professionally, Robert has carved out a niche in the livestock market, leveraging his international background to navigate the complexities of trading in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. His extensive knowledge and expertise in this field has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and consultant, helping businesses thrive in diverse markets around the world. Through his work, Robert bridges cultures and facilitates commerce, embodying the spirit of global citizenship that defines his personal and professional journey. Robert's main focus will be on Europe, Latin America, and African countries. He is fluent in Spanish and conversational French.