Mike Helgeson, chief executive officer of GNP Company, St. Cloud, Minnesota, was elected to serve as 2013-2014 chairman of the National Chicken Council (NCC) during NCC’s Board of Directors meeting held Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Mike Helgeson
“It’s a great honor to serve as the incoming chair for the National Chicken Council, and I look forward to serving the chicken industry in the upcoming year,” Helgeson said. “Ours is a vibrant and dynamic industry, one with great opportunities as well as ongoing challenges. As I take the gavel today, I’m optimistic that we’ll continue to step-up to not only meet but exceed the challenges and opportunities the next year will bring us.”
Serving as vice chairman for 2013-2014 is Jerry Lane, president of Claxton Poultry in Claxton, Georgia. New to the officer corps, Todd Simmons, Chief Executive Officer of Simmons Foods, takes over as Secretary-Treasurer.
For biographies and pictures of the new officers, click here.
In addition to the officer corps, the following processor members have been elected to new, three year terms as directors of NCC:
- Lampkin Butts, Sanderson Farms
- John Comino, Southern Hens
- Paul Downes, Mountaire Corporation
- Elise Durbin, Marshall Durbin Companies
- Gary C. George, George’s
- Trent Goins, O. K. Foods
- Donnie King, Tyson Foods
- Elton Maddox, Wayne Farms
- Pete Martin, Mar-Jac Poultry
- Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms
- Mike Popowycz, Case Foods
- Todd Simmons, Simmons Foods
- Kendra Waldbusser, Pilgrim’s
Twelve Allied Leader representatives were also elected to one-year terms as Directors at Large. They are:
- Tommy Bagwell, American Proteins
- Carl Blackham, BMO Harris Bank
- Gary Baxter, CEVA Animal Health
- Rush Deacon, Safe Foods Corporation
- Peter Hohl, Evonik Degussa Corporation
- Eric Joiner, AJC International
- Jerry Moye, Cobb-Vantress
- James Nutt, Wells Fargo
- Jimmy Paulakuhn, Zoetis
- Dr. Albert Payne, Elanco Animal Health
- Brian Snyder, Agri Stats
- Adriaan Weststrate, Rabobank International
Finally, the following Board of Directors were elected to new terms as members of the NCC Executive Committee. They are:
- Ron Foster, Foster Farms
- Trent Goins, O. K. Foods
- Carl George, George’s
- Mike Helgeson, GNP Company
- Tom Hensley, Fieldale Farms
- Eric Joiner, AJC International (New Allied Leader Rep Nominated to Serve on Executive Committee)
- Donnie King, Tyson Foods
- Jerry Lane, Claxton Poultry
- Bill Lovette, Pilgrim’s
- Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms
- Todd Simmons, Simmons Foods
- Don Taber, House of Raeford
- Mike Welch, Harrison Poultry
