Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms,Seymour, Indiana,was elected for a second term as chairman of the board of directors of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) during a recent board of directors meeting, held in Atlanta.Due to the pandemic, the board elected to renominate the executive committee to a second term.
A native of Indiana, Hinton attended Indiana University and Purdue University. He has served the poultry industry in various capacities on boards and committees, including the Indiana State Egg Board, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, International Egg Commission, United Egg Producers, Indiana Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau. Hinton is vice president of sales and serves on the Executive Committee and Long–Range Planning Committee for Rose Acre Farms. He has been with the company for more than 40 years.
Vice Chairman
Mike Levengood, Perdue Farms, Salisbury, Maryland,is vice chairman. Levengood is a graduate of Penn State University where he obtained a BBA in Agriculture Business Management. He has served the poultry industry in various capacities, including past chairman of the National Chicken Council Grow out Committee. He joined Perdue in 1984, where he has held a variety of senior level positions. He is vice president, Chief Animal Care Officer and Farmer Relationship Advocate for Perdue Farms.
Treasurer
Mikell Fries, Claxton Poultry, Claxton, Georgia,is treasurer. Fries is a graduate of Georgia Southern University where he obtained a degree in business management. Before assuming Claxton’s head operational role, he spent several years in senior positions overseeing sales and marketing. He has served the poultry industry in various capacities, including serving on the board of directors for the Georgia Poultry Federation and Norman W. Fries, Inc. He is president for Claxton Poultry.
Secretary
Jarod Morrison, Farbest Foods, Huntingburg, Indiana,issecretary. Morrison received his BS in Finance from the University of Southern Indiana and his MBA from Purdue University. Before joining Farbest Foods, he was senior director of finance and accounting with Masterbrand Cabinets and finance manager with GE Plastics. He is chief financial officer for Farbest Foods,where he leads all aspects of finance, accounting and IT for Farbest Foods, Farbest Farms and JFS Milling.
Immediate Past Chairman
John Prestage, Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., is immediate past chairman. A native of North Carolina, Prestage graduated with a BS in Animal Science from North Carolina State University. He has served the poultry industry in various capacities on boards and committees, including the North Carolina Poultry Federation and the National Turkey Federation. Active in his community, he serves on local school and college foundation boards. He is senior vice president and has been with Prestage Farms since the company’s inception in 1983.
New Board Members
Newly elected to the USPOULTRY board of directors are Dr. Marc de Beer, president, AviagenNorth America; Bill Griffith, chief operating officer,Peco Foods; Mandy Klopp, head of operations for Fresh Food Service, Pilgrim’s; and Joel Sappenfield, president, Simmons Prepared Foods.
“I look forward to the leadership and guidance these officers and new board members will provide our organization,” remarked John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY
