West Liberty, Iowa-based West Liberty Foods announced the retirement of longtime leader, Gerald Lessard, President of Operations. Gerald celebrated 16 years at West Liberty Foods this year.

Lessard will leave the company on November 30, 2020, with over 40 years of food industry knowledge as well as expertise in livestock production and manufacturing. Throughout his career, he experienced progressive responsibilities starting with live turkey production through primary processing, further processing, warehousing and logistics. Coinciding with his leadership role at West Liberty Foods, he was also President of Liberty Cold, a cold storage warehouse and distribution center owned by West Liberty Foods and located in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Prior to his time at West Liberty Foods, Gerald also held leadership positions with Zacky Farms, Butterball Turkey Company, and Salm Partners.

“Gerald has always been a source of valuable knowledge for West Liberty Foods,” said Ed Garrett, Chief Executive Officer. “His extensive manufacturing experience, attention to detail, and management style will always be appreciated by those who worked closest with him. Gerald’s innovative mindset allowed West Liberty Foods to find manufacturing solutions and reach operational excellence throughout his tenure. While his presence and guidance will be greatly missed, we wish him the best of luck in his retirement years.”

“I sincerely appreciate the support and guidance that the West Liberty Board, Owners, Leaders, Team Members and Suppliers have provided me over the last 16 years,” Gerald said in a recent statement. “This support provided an exceptional environment to advance innovative solutions resulting in significant growth for the company and its team members. I value the relationships that developed during my career and look forward to staying connected with the Industry while watching West Liberty Foods continue to innovate and grow well into the future.”

Source: West Liberty Foods