Prestage elected new U.S. Poultry & Egg Association chairman

John Prestage, senior vice president, Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was elected chairman of the board of directors of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY).

2019 chairman of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, John Prestage (left), senior vice president of Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was presented with the traditional “working man’s gavel” by outgoing chairman, Tom Hensley, president, Fieldale Farms. (USPOULTRY)
2019 chairman of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, John Prestage (left), senior vice president of Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was presented with the traditional “working man’s gavel” by outgoing chairman, Tom Hensley, president, Fieldale Farms. (USPOULTRY)

John Prestage, senior vice president, Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was elected chairman of the board of directors of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY). The board meeting was held during the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2019 International Production & Processing Expo. He previously served as vice chairman. Prestage was presented with the time-honored “working man’s gavel” by Tom Hensley, 2018 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 has been with Prestage Farms since the company’s inception in 1983.

Vice chairman

Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms, Seymour, Indiana, was named vice chairman. 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. He is currently vice president of sales for Rose Acre Farms and serves on the Executive Committee and Long-Range Planning Committee. He has been with the company for 39 years.

Treasurer

Mike Levengood, Perdue Foods, Salisbury, Maryland, was named treasurer. 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 Growout Committee. He joined Perdue in 1984, where he has held a variety of senior level positions. He is currently vice president, Chief Animal Care Officer and Farmer Relationship Advocate, for Perdue Foods.

Secretary

Mikell Fries, Claxton Poultry, Claxton, Georgia, was named secretary. 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 currently president for Claxton Poultry.

Immediate past chairman

Tom Hensley, Fieldale Farms, Baldwin, Georgia, is immediate past chairman. A native of West Virginia, Hensley graduated with a degree in business from Marshall University. Before joining Fieldale Farms, Hensley was a tax manager at Price Waterhouse & Co. He is currently president of Fieldale Farms where he has worked for 40 years, as well as a member of Fieldale Farms Corporation board of directors. In addition, he is past chairman of the National Chicken Council and a life member of the Georgia Poultry Federation. He actively serves on various charitable organization boards where he has been both active and recognized for his service.

“I look forward to the leadership and guidance these officers will provide our organization,” remarked John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY.

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