This year the Tennessee Poultry Association (TPA) hosted its Annual Meeting and Summer Getaway on Aug. 19 and 20 in Nashville. Aviagen shares with the association a commitment to the success and sustainability of the poultry industry. Aviagen was a sponsor of the meeting, and the company’s President of North America Dr. Marc de Beer was there to present the keynote address. During the meeting, the TPA recognized two Aviagen employees for their dedication and contribution to North American poultry.
Workhorse of the Year
At the event, Aviagen’s Regional Business Manager for North America Jeremy Martin received two separate accolades. Based on his tireless service to the association and to the industry, he was honored with the TPA 2022 Workhorse of the Year award. And, serving as second vice president in 2021, Martin was appointed as first VP during this year’s annual meeting. Jeremy has served Aviagen North America for nearly a quarter century and has been on the TPA Board since 2019. He also chairs the TPA Scholarship Committee and has been active on the Live Production and Auction committees. He also supports the service meetings, the scholarship reviewing and selection process, the annual meeting and events and various fundraisers. Additionally, he works closely with Tennessee universities to help develop their poultry programs and get more students excited about the industry.
“Jeremy has been extremely active with TPA, and makes himself available to us whenever his skills and advice are needed. He is energetic, enthusiastic and supportive and knows how to get things done,” said Dale Barnett, executive director of the TPA. “More importantly, he was chosen for his passion for poultry and going above and beyond to contribute to the sustainability of the industry in Tennessee and beyond.”
NextGen Young Leader Under 30
Rachel Breeding, quality assurance and reegulatory maanager at the Aviagen pedigree operation in Crossville, Tenn., was presented with a TPA 2022 NextGen Young Leader Under 30 Award. The intention of the award program is to encourage up-and-coming professionals who work for TPA-member poultry companies directly involved in poultry production or processing. Breeding was nominated for the award by her manager, Clara Goldman, for her leadership qualities, dedication and enthusiasm for the industry. “To breed the best, we need the best, and Rachel is certainly among our best talent,” explained Goldman. “She excelled in her roles with the QA and Regulatory Team from her first day on the job, with a careful attention to detail and quality, and an unmatched ability to work with people. Rachel is an excellent example of Aviagen’s core values of integrity, positive attitude, customer focused and more.
“I am proud of both Rachel and Jeremy and appreciate the TPA for honoring our employees. We value our close and longstanding relationship with the TPA and share with them a vision to equip farmers with everything they need to put healthy chicken meat on the tables of families in Tennessee and throughout North America,” added Marc de Beer, president of North America.
Aviagen sponsors a scholarship for students at Tennessee universities who are pursuing a career in the poultry industry. Bethany Priest, an Animal Science student at Tennessee Tech University, was awarded the 2022 Aviagen scholarship and was presented with a check at the meeting.
“We congratulate Bethany and wish her all the best for a fulfilling career in poultry,” commented de Beer. “The sustainability of our industry in Tennessee and around the world depends on our ability to attract bright, innovative people like Bethany, who have a passion to make a difference in feeding the world with a sustainable, affordable and readily available source of protein.”
