Peco Foods has announced several personnel changes among the company’s upper management team, including the retirement of chief commercial officer (CCO) Steve Evans.
About Steve Evans
With more than 40 years in the poultry industry and nearly four years with the Peco Foods, Evans will retire at the end of January.
Originally joining Peco in a consulting capacity in 2019, Evans was hired as CCO in July 2020. Upon his retirement, Evans will be missed for his strategic insight and invaluable contributions to the company's success.
"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Steve for his contributions during his tenure at Peco Foods," said Mark Hickman, president and CEO of Peco Foods. "His leadership has been pivotal in steering our commercial strategies and sustainably setting our team up for success for years to come."
A Georgia State University graduate, Evans completed advanced studies at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. With several decades of senior leadership at Perdue Foods, three years as company president and CEO at Allen-Harim, and several years in leadership at Cagles, Evans brought wide-ranging expertise in sales, marketing, product development, supply chain, customer service and more.
In addition to years of industry expertise, Evans had a national presence as a board member and past chair of the marketing committee for the National Chicken Council (NCC). He was also a member of the Salisbury University Perdue School of Business Executive Advisory Council and a member of numerous advisory boards.
“As I reflect on my dedicated career in the poultry industry, I will certainly miss working alongside the exceptional team at Peco Foods,” said Evans. “However, I am extremely confident in the team I’m leaving behind and know they will continue delivering innovative products and outstanding customer service to drive sustainable growth.”
Kevin Phillips to succeed Evans
As Evans retires, Kevin Phillips will be taking over as CCO.
Phillips, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in the poultry sector, will spearhead the company’s strategic initiatives to continue building a cutting-edge infrastructure to grow the market for Peco’s products and increase revenue. In his previous role as the corporate director of sales and marketing – commodity, Phillips oversaw critical aspects of Peco's commodity business. The company credits him for a remarkable track record in optimizing volumes, refining product mix and formulating competitive pricing strategies.
With more than two decades of experience in the poultry industry, Phillips has served in multiple professional leadership positions, including chairman of the National Chicken Council (NCC) Marketing Committee, a U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) board member and a USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) board member.
"Kevin's unwavering dedication to Peco Foods and depth of experience in the poultry industry make him the ideal candidate for this role," said Hickman. "His strong leadership qualities and strategic vision align perfectly with our commitment to innovation and dedication to our customers."
Alexander takes on new responsibilities
As Phillips transitions to his new role, Scott Alexander will transition from corporate director of sales and marketing – value added to senior corporate director of sales and marketing. In this role, he will oversee all sales and marketing for the commodity and value-added products and continue to challenge his team to identify and secure new business and products through the distribution of retail, convenience stores, quick service restaurants and other strategic accounts.
“Scott has been with Peco since 1993 and has helped us greatly strengthen our value-added product mix to meet evolving customer needs,” added Hickman. “We know he will thrive in this role and continue to position our company as a competitive producer of quality products dedicated to driving excellence in everything we do.”
