Approximately 120 of the meat industry's best and brightest were on hand to welcome the incoming Class of 2015 Monday evening at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. Five of the new members were on hand to accept their honored place among the legends of the business, each movingly introduced by someone important to them in their personal or professional life.
Bill Buckner, the recently retired president of Cargill Meat Solutions, was introduced by his old friend, John Keating, the new president of Cargill Meat Solutions, who thanked him for his generous mentorship. Mr. Buckner's acceptance speech was well accepted, highlighted by his pithy but perfectly-timed comment, "When I think of pink slime, I think of ABC News and Diane Sawyer.'