West Liberty Foods has promoted Brandon Achen to the position of chief operations officer.
Achen has been a member of the West Liberty Foods team for more than 15 years, leading and supporting teams in supply chain, procurement, information technology, human resources, project management, operations, and environmental, health and safety (EHS).
“Brandon demonstrates outstanding leadership with many diverse teams, and continues to build strong partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders to further position West Liberty Foods a s a formidable leader. He models the tenets of servant leadership and inspires teams to deliver results through empowerment and embracing a collaborative approach to resolving issues,” said Tara Lindsay, chief talent & culture officer for West Liberty Foods.
In his new role with West Liberty Foods, Achen will be responsible for overseeing all operational activities within the company, directly supporting operations, supply chain, human resources, EHS and procurement teams.
According to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, West Liberty Foods slaughtered 223.77 million pounds of live turkeys in 2019, a decrease of 2.62% when compared to its slaughter figures of 2018. It is the 12th largest turkey company in the United States.
The company, based in West Liberty, Iowa, was formed in 1997 when 47 Iowa turkey growers formed the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative and it purchased a former Louis Rich facility in West Liberty. The company specializes in slicing and co-packing cooked red meat and poultry products, and employs 2,500 people.
West Liberty Foods’ vice chairman, Ron Kardel, was recently installed as the 2020 chairman of the National Turkey Federation. (NTF).
