Meet the Staff at Honey Brake
Michael & Ron Johnson
Founders
Brothers Ron & Michael Johnson, raised in Chicot State Park, Louisiana’s largest state park, learned valuable lessons at an early age from their father about respecting and valuing the land. Ron and Michael’s grandfather, Edious Johnson, was the first caretaker and superintendent of Chicot State Park and paved the way for his son, Dudley Johnson, to later assume the role as the park superintendent. Dudley Johnson passed on his ideas and ethics of land stewardship to his sons as they grew and began their path of education toward becoming engineers.
Ron, the elder brother, earned his petroleum engineering degree. He spent years with a major oil company before making the choice to become a farmer in order to spend more time with his family. Having spent the last 40 years as a farmer, Ron has developed a wealth of knowledge of the Louisiana delta region and agricultural operations. Michael’s education in mechanical engineering led him to a different path and eventually into ownership of an oil and gas exploration company in Corpus Christi, Texas. Ron’s experience with the oil industry and farming soon convinced Michael to consider investing in land to diversify his company assets. In 2005, when some of the Louisiana Delta Plantation property became available, Michael agreed to the initial purchase of 30,000 acres of agricultural land as an investment opportunity and for a chance to work closer with his brother, Ron.
Drew Keeth
CEO
Catahoula Parish native Drew Keeth, CEO and waterfowl guide for Honey Brake, LTD has been an avid outdoorsman from an early age and grew up hunting the cypress brakes and flooded grain fields of our Sportsman’s Paradise of central Louisiana all his life. Drew worked in the boating industry for most of his life but also developed and managed several different hunting clubs and guide services in central Louisiana, including managing recreation and wildlife on Louisiana Delta Plantation. Drew’s passion for hunting is exceeded only by his off season obsession of preparing exceptional habitat for wintering waterfowl through moist soil management techniques that produce the most abundant food sources for ducks that are possible. Having been a waterfowl guide for over 23 years, Drew has developed the knowledge of everything duck…from flight patterns and habitat to decoys and dogs his hunting experiences have led to help establish Honey Brake as the premier waterfowling operation in North America.
Drew’s commitment to wildlife has also been demonstrated in his leadership and support of numerous wildlife conservation organizations. Having served as President of the Cenla Fantails Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, committee member of Delta Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited local Chapters and active member of the Central Louisiana Hunter Retriever Club as well as having a seat on the LSU school of coastal and conservation. Drew understands and works to give back to the outdoors that he loves and cares about. Drew is also committed to our youth! His wife Lacey and their children, Karlee and Kolby are the light of his life but Drew has always supported efforts to encourage the development of young hunters into a life of hunting and respect of wildlife. An avid supporter of the LDWF youth hunt weekends Drew has shared his time and Honey Brake Outfitter services to help ensure that young people get a unique opportunity to experience duck hunting at its’ finest.
In Drew’s words “To be a great guide you have to have a servant’s heart, the will to please, and a passion for waterfowling. Anyone can hunt for two or three days but providing the experience of a lifetime for sixty plus days straight is what makes the professional staff that we expect at Honey Brake”.
Ed Pippin
Chief Operating Officer
Ed was born and raised in central Louisiana by Edwin and Rhonda Pippin. Hunting has been a part of his life since he was old enough to walk and climb in a stand with his dad. Ed moved to Baton Rouge at 18 and graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in Plant Anatomy and Physiology. He spent 20 plus years maintaining high end private country clubs. During that time he was blessed with two wonderful children, Lorelei and Brodie. In 2019 Ed was looking for a change and through a mutual friend, ended up here at Honey Brake.
Jared Mophett
Head Guide / Habitat Manager
A dedicated professional duck hunting guide and lifelong waterfowler, Jared Mophett was raised in a family that loved and pursued hunting as a way of life. Having worked with his father as a duck hunting guide along with over 23 years of continuous guiding experience, Jared reins as one of the most experienced and successful guides at Honey Brake. Not your ordinary duck guide, Jared is a professional in every sense of the word. From competition calling to retriever training to following duck migrations, Jared is not just your ordinary duck hunter. Jared is known for his “No Days Off” philosophy and literally guides or hunts 120 days per year for ducks and geese. He has missed less than 10 days of hunting in the past 18 years. We can only assume he was very sick!
Jared has been published in numerous local and national newsprint, magazine, and waterfowl publications and has had extensive exposure on many TV shows. He’s a member of the United Kennel Club for 15 years, the Call Makers Association and many other national conservation organizations, but his commitment doesn’t end there. Jared is dedicated to waterfowl management on a year round basis and works just as hard off season to create optimum waterfowl habitats in order to reap the rewards of duck hunting during the season. Jared has served as a pro staff member for many waterfowl companies, competed in many local and state duck calling contests, and is an avid duck call collector. Some of Jared’s favorite calls include Echo, Hobo, RNT, and Zink calls, but give him any call and he can make it sing.
“My goal is to provide my guests with the hunt of a lifetime.” — Jared Mophett
David Cahill
National Sales Manager
David has 30 years of experience at all sales levels in the outdoor industry. Prior to this role, David spent 20 years as a principal with AdvancedMarketingSpecialist. David has spent his entire professional career being in between Brand / manufacturers and every channel of retail distribution in the United States. An accomplished outdoorsman, David is also part of what is considered to be the "first family" of Stuggart, Arkansas. David's grandfather was the legendary Chick Major who developed Dixie Mallard Duck Calls. Chick was very instrumental in developing the competitive duck calling circuit and the World Duck Calling Championship, which is held in Stuttgart to this day. David earned a bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management from Arkansas Tech University in 1988. He continues to be an avid outdoorsman while living in Plumerville, Arkansas with his wife Leslie.
Mark Herron
Fleet Manager / Guide
Mark Herron and his wife Naomi have been lifelong residents of the area for over 50 years. Mark has been hunting this area all his life with great success. He hunts blind on both private and public area and moves with the birds. He is an accomplished caller and relishes getting the birds in close for his clients. His dog, Swampy, is full of energy and she has great blind manners. He is a local businessman and has a stellar reputation in regard to customer service. Mark has a private camp on our farm and is a permanent resident during the waterfowl season. He is also an excellent bass fishing guide and has served on the Skeeter Team Pro team for many years.
Cullen Stowers
Executive Chef
Classically French trained Chef from Culinary Institute LeNotre in Houston Texas, with a variety of experience in all Cuisines. I have family roots in Louisiana and Mississippi through my parents, but am the only Native Texas of the family. I use the classic French techniques taught in school in combination with Cajun/creole flavors with applications of Texas BBQ to really make things my own.
Cole Cooper
Wildlife Manager
Cole was raised just 10 minutes from Honey Brake and have spent my whole life on the Louisiana Delta Plantation farming with my dad and grandfather. My love for hunting started at the age of 5 when they began to take me with them. Growing up, I always thought how special it would be to be able to stay here in my local community and have a job doing what I love, and Honey Brake has made that dream come true. I now spend the whole hunting season here guiding for doves, ducks, and deer. During the off season I assist in managing the habitat along side Jared, operating equipment, and lending a hand anyway that I can
