George Denny Hickman, 83, chairman emeritus of Peco Foods, died March 27, 2024.
Hickman worked in the family business alongside his father, Peco Foods founder John Herman Hickman, eventually being elected as president of Peco Foods in 1987. The following decade triggered remarkable growth for the company as a result of his ambitious decision-making backed by industry insights.
Hickman would also serve as chairman of Peco Foods, until retiring in 2022.
Hickman is remembered as being not only a leader within Peco Foods, but for the greater poultry industry as well. He held active roles with the National Chicken Council (NCC), Alabama Poultry & Egg Association and Mississippi Poultry Association, including being inducted into both the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Poultry Hall of Fame.
“By his personal example, Denny has taught us to maintain personal and professional integrity at the highest level and at all times,” Peco Foods President and CEO Mark Hickman said at the time of his retirement. “His focus on operational efficiencies and performance has been an absolutely critical key to our success. Furthermore, he has inspired us to achieve greatness while leading with humility as well as wisdom, and we will carry that legacy into the future.”
Peco Foods, headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is presently the seventh largest poultry company in the United States. It produced 36.9 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken on a weekly basis in 2023.
Memorials in his honor can be donated to the John Herman Hickman Foundation.
