Steve McBee Sr. made a monumental business decision ahead of his report to prison for federal crop insurance fraud that impacted not only his sons, but his ex-wife, Kristi McBee, as well.
How to Watch
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Episodes stream next day on Peacock.
During The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys Season 3, Episode 6, the family and their employees prepared for a “big, company-wide meeting” to discuss “what the future looks like without [Steve Sr.] there,” Jesse McBee explained to producers. Steve Sr. was at that time the president of McBee Farm and Cattle Co.
Jesse pointed to one of his brothers as the likely successor to his father. “Steven [McBee Jr.] is the most obvious choice. He’s the oldest,” Jesse noted.
Steven Jr. also anticipated being named the head of the company. “It’s an easy choice. Sorry boys,” he confessed to producers during McBee Dynasty’s July 20 episode.
As Steve Sr. prepared to show his employees new “org charts” at the meeting, he clarified, “What I don’t want to do is leave and have any questions on who’s in charge, [and] how the hierarchy goes.”
But Steve Sr. took everyone by surprise when he named his ex-wife and the mother of his children, Kristi, as interim president. The org chart then listed as reporting to Kristi: Steven Jr. staying put as chief executive officer, Galyna Saltkovski remaining in her role as chief financial officer, Cole McBee staying in his job of cattle manager, and Jesse maintaining his position of head of construction.
RELATED: Is Galyna Saltkovska Still Working for the McBee Family?
Steven McBee Jr. reacts to Kristi McBee being named interim President of McBee Farms
Steven Jr. confessed his complete astonishment at his father’s decision to name his mother as interim president.
“I cannot believe what this org chart says. I’m absolutely mind-blown. Taken aback. Shocked,” he emphasized to producers during the July 20 episode. “My dad never ceases to amaze me at how much chaos he can create…I cannot believe my dad would do this.”
Steven added that this was likely to cause confusion at a time when the company needed stability the most. “Just when I thought we had a good plan moving forward with my dad going away, Captain Chaos yet again comes in to stir the pot, throw a rock at the hornet’s nest and get every single person in the company wondering what the hell is going on,” Steven complained to producers.
“My mom is busy all day, every day, running her own very successful company,” he explained to producers. “She does not want to be associated with the train wreck that is our company. Associated with the train wreck that is her ex-husband.”
In a July interview with Bravo Insider, Steven Jr. shared more details about the stunning decision. “It was a shell shock,” he said. “I think that we were all surprised. Not in a good way.”
“It’s not that we don’t think my mom is fully capable of it,” he added. “It is that she has her own business to run. And candidly, we don’t want to drag her into what we consider a mess on our side. She’s got a very good business that she’s run. Kept a great reputation. And she is our mom, who’s there for any advice, any time we need support or an outside eye on things, she’s there to give us that support. But candidly, I don’t want to bring her into our mess.”
Cole and Brayden McBee react to the new McBee Farms org chart
Cole was also “confused” to see his mother named in charge of everyone. “The whole thing is just really weird, and it’s not what I was expecting,” he admitted.
The youngest McBee son, Brayden McBee, also noticed a glaring omission from the org chart: his own name. “It is a little strange seeing my mom’s name at the top of the chart. It’s even stranger not seeing my name on the chart at all, as it’s a list of owners, and I’m the only brother not on it,” he pointed out to producers.
How Kristi McBee felt about being appointed President of McBee Farms
Kristi joined her sons in reacting with disbelief at her ex’s decision to put her in charge of his company while he was in prison. “Steve McBee does a lot of crazy things, but I think this might be the craziest,” she confessed to producers during the July 20 episode. She later continued, “It was embarrassing to me, it was hurtful to the boys.”
To her sons Cole and Steven Jr., she declared, “I was blown away.” She then revealed her decision about taking the reins of McBee Farm and Cattle Co.: “I’ve never had anything to do with those businesses. I don’t know anything about them. I don’t want any part of it.”
RELATED: The McBee Family Shares Big Career News in Steve McBee Sr.’s Absence: “We’re Rebranding”
However, she emphasized she’d be there for her sons in a support capacity. “You know I’ll always be here to give you advice, the best advice I can give you,” she told Cole and Steven Jr. “It’s frustrating for me, ‘cuz like, I’m trying to calm [Steve Sr.]’s nerves a little bit with everything, but, it’s always chaos.”
What does Kristi McBee do for a living?
“I brought on a partner that I trust completely, and who has the same work ethic and kinda the same goals as I do,” she detailed.
She opened up about finding success away from her ex-husband. “Steve definitely said that I was going to run it into the ground within six months,” Kristi revealed during McBee Dynasty Season 2, Episode 2. “And we’ve been able to grow the business three times the size that it was. Little sweet revenge.”
Steven Jr. shared that his mom is an inspiration to he and his brothers as they take the helm from their father. “Her company blows away any of our businesses,” he admitted during the same episode. “She makes money hand over fist. Has a Lamborghini. Has all of these nice vehicles. It’s insane.”
Learn more about Steve’s time in prison as his son Cole opens up the family visiting the McBee patriarch.
