Jim Sumner, president & CEO of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), was honored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, where he received the Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious honor was presented to Sumner by Greg Hinton, vice president of sales at Rose Acre Farms, outgoing USPOULTRY chairman, and USAPEEC board member.
The Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual whose dedication and leadership over the years have far exceeded the ordinary and impacted both the poultry industry and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) in an exemplary manner. The award is presented non-annually and when the Awards and Recognition Committee unanimously recognizes and endorses the need for occasional, unique recognition for exceptional contributions.
“The connecting ties and friendship between Jim, USAPEEC and USPOULTRY are long and deep. It is a privilege to work with Jim, and we are honored to present this award,” remarked John Starkey, president of USPOULTRY.
Sumner holds a BS in Journalism from Southern Illinois University. He has served as president and CEO of USAPEEC since 1990 and president of the International Poultry Council since 2005. He is also a past president of the World Poultry Federation. Prior to joining USAPEEC, Sumner served as director of marketing for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and worked for dairy cooperatives headquartered in both Philadelphia and Louisville, KY.
Sumner has served as a member of the USDA Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for trade for many years. He has also served as an export advisor to the American Egg Board and chairman of the Trade and Executive Committees of the International Egg Commission. In 2012, Sumner was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (NPFDA).
During Sumner’s tenure, USAPEEC has grown to 16 international offices on four continents, helped open trade with dozens of countries from Mexico to China to Cuba, and launched the International Poultry Council (IPC) and World Poultry Federation (WPF). Though he is retiring from USAPEEC in June 2022, Sumner will remain involved with USAPEEC as a senior advisor and will continue his roles with the IPC and the WPF. He also will continue to serve as the industry’s representative to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee and other groups.
