On Jan. 27, 2016, the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (NPFDA) elected a new Board of Directors, New Executive Committee, and gave 5 awards to its members.

The New Executive Committee has a President, Vice President and Treasurer. Kenny Seeger with E & S Marketing will be the president for 2016. Bobby Lipson of Sherwood Foods will be Vice President and Marci Walker with Kelly’s Foods will be Treasurer and the first female to be on the Executive Committee.

The Board of Directors includes
Ryan Baldwin                                     Holly Poultry :2015-2017 (E)
Henry Buzgon                                    Eastern Quality Foods: 2015-2017 (S)
Jim Carpenter                                    Amick Farms :2016-2018 (S)
Charles Cheatham                           American Cold Storage: 2015-2017 (S)
Willis Cooan                                        Turkey Valley Farms : 2015-2017 (MW)
Joe Dempsey                                     Sumpremas,: 2015-2015 (W)
Jud Guest                                            Lad Truck Lines:2016-2018 (S)
Jeramie Martin                                 Claxton Poultry Co. :2016-2018 (S)
Clyde Monohan                                                Imler’s Poultry :2016-2018 (E)
Chad Pitts                                            Agro Super :2016-2018 (S)
Tim Rathert                                        Quaker valley Farms :2016-2018 (MW)
Ed Rodgers                                         Preferred Freezer Services: 2015-2017 (S)
Daniel Romanoff                              Nebraskalland : 2015-2017 (E)
Sherry Rukgaber                              A & D Sales and Marketing: 2015-2017 (S)
Glennon Monroe                             Columbia Meats2014-2016 (S)
Eric Oare                                              Pilgrim’s: 2014-2016 (S)
Nick Stams                                          Stam’s Family Foods: 2014-2016 (S)
Tammy Vige                                       Pacific-Agri Products: 2016-2018 (W)

NPFDA gave out the Rising Star Award to Laurie Martinez Pate with Foodlinx. Pate works on the NPFDA Silent Auction and was able to get many companies that have donated, but also a lot of members who have never donated to the Silent Auction which supports the NPFDA Scholarship Foundation. Thanks to Pate and the other committee members, the Foundation had a record year. With thanks to the committee and donors, the Foundation earned enough at the Auction to pay for all 5 scholarships.

NPFDA gave an award that is not one of NPFDA’s annual awards but the Member of the year committee decided to express the industry’s appreciation to an industry member who is retiring after over 40 years of Service. NPFDA Awarded Jeff Stokey with Wayne Farms. He has dedicated his entire career to the poultry industry and was awarded the Reflecting Excellence Award. Stokey has worked in sales in many areas of the industry and has developed many long standing business relationships across all areas of the industry and has mentored many younger professionals. Throughout all his years he has been a well-respected member of the industry reflecting excellence in his business ethics and personal relationships. Many Wayne employees sent NPFDA emails alerting us to his retirement and asking to award him with the Member of the year award. The committee felt that he should be should be awarded for more than one year and created an award to show Stokey appreciation for all he has done throughout the Years.

NPFDA awarded the New Member Recruiter of the Year to Nick Stams of Stams Family Foods for the 2^nd year in a row. Stams really enjoys bringing in new members because he wants his peers to gain all that he has since he really became involved in the association. He loves being on the recruitment committee and has in a large part, been responsible for NPFDA’s growth over the last two years. NPFDA gained 51 new members in 2015.

Earl lshbia was awarded the 2016 NPFDA Poultry Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. He could not attend due to weather so he accepted his award via Skype and his 5 sons accepted the actual award in his place. lshbia has remained the hard working and dedicated person that started Regal Packing Company (later named Sherwood Food Distributors) in 1969 with his partner Alex Karp with a truck and a drive to succeed. Sherwood Food Distributors has grown from a single distribution site servicing the inner city of Detroit into the largest, independent food distributor in the country. lshbia has led Sherwood Food Distributors from a one truck operation to a multi-billion dollar operation that services almost 10,000 diverse customers. Among his many personal accomplishments in the industry, he is proud to be a member of NPFDA since 1974, to have been President of NPFDA in 2001-2002. He was also honored as the NPFDA Member of the Year in 1996, a distinguished winner of the Master Entrepreneur of the year award in 2009, President of AFPD food dealers, and Urner Barry's merchandising Man of the Year in 2004.

NPFDA announced the 2015 NPFDA Member of the Year at the Annual Awards Reception held annually during the NPFDA Poultry Convention in Atlanta on January 27, 2016 (in conjunction with IPPE). The prestigious award which has been awarded to 45 leaders since 1972 was awarded to Nick Stams, President and CEO of Stams Family Foods. He has been an active member of NPFDA for many years attending various conventions and meetings. He became a very active board member his first year on the board and has helped lead NPFDA to an even more successful organization. He received the NPFDA New Member Recruiter award for 2014 and again for 2015 – bringing in an average of one new member every month. Through his involvement with the organization and the board, he has been very influential in NPFDA’s growth, increasing the scholarship awards and setting two $2500 awards aside for NPFDA member employees and families. Stams has helped the board in setting new goals and directions for even further success of the organization.

Source: NPFDA