Source: MEATINGPLACE, 10/6/11

Lampkin Butts, president and chief operating officer of Sanderson Farms, was installed yesterday as chairman of the National Chicken Council.

He has been with the company since 1973, working his way up through a variety of assignments and serving as processing division manager, director of processing and sales, and vice-president of sales. He was elected to the Sanderson Farms board of directors in 1998. He has served on the NCC board since 2004 and has also served on the boards of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the Mississippi Poultry Association.

Bill Lovette, president and CEO of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, took office as vice chairman. Lovette joined Pilgrim’s as president and chief executive officer Jan. 3, 2011. He served as president and chief operating officer of Case Foods for the previous two years. Before that, Lovette spent 25 years with Tyson Foods in various roles in senior management, including president of its international business unit, president of its foodservice business unit, and senior group vice president of poultry and prepared foods.

Meanwhile, Michael Helgeson, chief executive officer of GNP Company, became secretary-treasurer. Helgeson has served as CEO and a member of the board of directors of GNP Company (formerly Gold’n Plump Poultry) since 1993. He joined the company in 1974 and worked in various divisions, including new products manager in the sales and marketing division, project manager in the broiler division, personnel manager at the Cold Spring, Minn., processing plant, and purchasing/elevator manager in the feed and grain division. He spent his first two years in Indonesia researching and developing a broiler operation.
The new officers were installed during the NCC Annual Conference held in Washington, D.C., and attended by members of the industry from across the country. Officers serve one-year terms.
 

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