Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 10/7/10

Bernard Leonard, vice president of Tyson Foods Inc.’s foodservice division, was named chairman of the National Chicken Council as the trade association installed new officers Wednesday at its annual conference in Washington, D.C.

Joining Leonard were Sanderson Farms’ Lampkin Butts, who took office as NCC vice chairman, and Bill Lovette of Case Foods, who took over as secretary-treasurer. Officers serve one-year terms.

Leonard teamed up with Tyson in 1998 when the Springdale, Ark.-based company acquired Hudson Foods, where he had been vice president of broiler sales and operations. At Tyson, he started as vice president of operations and worked his way up to his current post, which he has held since late 2006.
Butts has served as Sanderson Farms’ president and chief operating officer since 2004. His nearly 40 years at the Laurel, Miss.-based company also has included turns as processing division manager, director of processing and sales and vice president of sales. He was elected to the company’s board in 1998.

Lovette serves as president and COO of Troutman, N.C.-based Case Foods. He started in the poultry business in 1982 at Valmac Industries, which was later acquired by Tyson.

Collectively the trio possesses about 100 years of chicken-industry experience, including many years of participation in trade organizations including NCC.

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