Clint Rivers, president and chief executive officer of Wayne Farms LLC, was installed for a second term as 2020-2021 chairman of the National Chicken Council (NCC) during NCC’s Fall Board of Directors meeting, held virtually this week.
Rivers joined Wayne Farms in October 2012 as vice president and general manager of the Fresh Business Unit. In 2014, he was promoted to chief operating officer, and, in 2017, promoted to president and chief executive officer.
Prior to joining Wayne Farms, Rivers served as president of foodservice and supply chain with Perdue Farms. In addition to the six years he spent with Perdue Farms, he worked 21 years with Pilgrim’s Pride where he held positions of increasing responsibility including the positions of chief operating officer, and president and CEO. Rivers first began his career in the industry with Golden West Foods in Bedford, Virginia, as a microbiologist and Quality Assurance foreman. He holds a degree in Animal Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Kaminsky elected vice chairman
Mark Kaminsky, chief operating officer at Koch Foods, will serve as NCC vice chairman. Kaminsky started his career at Arthur Andersen after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Accounting at DePaul University. He began his career with Koch Foods in 1990 on the financial side of the business but learned the operational side, including live processing through Koch’s move to become a vertically integrated poultry company in 1996. He has assisted in Koch’s growth from a one-plant operation to one of the leading poultry companies in the United States, through acquisitions, green field site developments and internal expansion.
Garland joins officer corps
New to the officer corps is Kevin Garland, CEO of Mountaire Farms. Mountaire has been in the Cameron family (Kevin’s wife, Sherrill) for over 100 years. Garland has spent the entirety of his career building and leading industrial businesses.
Prior to Mountaire, he was a managing partner at The Sterling Group, a middle market private equity firm in Houston, for 17 years. Previously, Garland was at Enron in mergers and acquisitions, and leading the private equity group. He began his career in investment banking at Stephens Inc. He received a B.A. from Rhodes College and an M.B.A. with honors from Vanderbilt University.
Brown to continue as president
In addition to the three new officers, Mike Brown was elected to a tenth term as president of NCC.
“For decades, the chicken industry has evolved to meet ever-changing circumstances, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been no different,” said Brown. “While 2020 has been a challenge for the industry and for everyone, chicken companies stepped up by enhancing workplace safety measures, shifting product lines to meet fluctuating demand, and providing food to those most in need. 2021 will be an important year for NCC, and I will rely on the collective expertise of Clint, Mark and Kevin to shape our priorities and provide direction for NCC and the industry.”
