TAR HEEL, N.C. – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said Friday it will hold off on officially declaring Smithfield’s largest pork slaughterhouse unionized.

Howard Neidig, the NLRB assistant regional director, reportedly said the agency will wait until this week to certify the United Food and Commercial Workers as the union for the Tar Heel plants 4,600 employees.

The certification was expected on Friday, with the deadline for objections on Thursday. The board is holding off on to make sure nothing postmarked by the deadline arrives in the mail. Smithfield executives have reportedly said they don't plan to challenge the election results.

Source: Associated Press

OAK BROOK, Ill. – McDonald’s USA announced on Monday that it has promoted Dan Gorsky to the position of senior vice president for North America supply chain management.

Gorsky, most recently Vice President for Supply Chain Management, McDonald's USA, is now responsible for food and paper purchases for more than 15,000 McDonald's restaurants in the United States and Canada.

"In today's changing business environment, our talented Supply Chain team continues to give McDonald's a strategic and competitive advantage," said Jan Fields, chief operating officer. "I am confident that with Dan's leadership, working with our suppliers, McDonald's will continue to provide everyday affordability for our customers, and long-term profitability for our restaurants."

A 15-year McDonald's veteran, Gorsky has most recently led the strategic sourcing efforts for food and paper worth more than $9 billion for 14,000 McDonald's restaurants in the United States.

Gorsky holds a B.A. in business-economics from Benedictine University in Illinois. He and his wife reside in Naperville, Ill. with their three children.

Source: McDonald’s Corp.

AUSTIN, Minn. – Hormel Foods Corp. has given its support to the Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus program by requiring all producers to be certified in the program by the end of 2009, the company said Monday.

The company will also require all producers, employees of producers and individuals who transport hogs to the company to have Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) certification. Both programs were developed by the National Pork Board.

“These programs outline the highest production practices for the pork industry and are designed to focus on animal well-being and food safety,” said Brian Stevens, director of pork procurement at Hormel. “Hormel Foods endorses these programs as part of our ongoing commitment to implement the highest-quality standards.”

The PQA Plus program is reportedly a three-part process, which includes attending an educational and training session as well as an on-farm site evaluation is necessary to achieve PQA Plus site status. The program also includes a third component of random, statistically valid, third-party evaluation of available sites.

Source: Hormel Foods Corp.

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Sara Lee Corp. announced last week that L.M. de Kool, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will retire at the end of fiscal 2009.

de Kool will leave his position in June 2009. Sara Lee has launched a search to replace him.

"It's been a pleasure to work side-by-side with Theo over the past several years and I am enormously thankful for his many contributions," said Brenda Barnes, chairman and chief executive officer, Sara Lee Corp. "Theo has my full support as he begins this new chapter in his life and I have confidence in the organization he has helped create."

de Kool began his career with Sara Lee in 1990, serving as vice president of finance for the household and personal care division of Sara Lee/DE N.V., a Dutch subsidiary. In 1995, he was named chief financial officer and a member of the board of management of Sara Lee/DE, and was made vice president of Sara Lee in 1996.

de Kool was named an executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sara Lee in January 2002 and has held his current position since February 2005.

Source: Sara Lee Corp.