The American Meat Institute has elected the six officers who will guide the organization through the next year. The election was held at AMI’s Board of Directors Meeting in Chicago.

Elected to the chairmanship for 2013-2014 is Greg Benedict, President and COO of American Foods Group, LLC. Benedict has been in the industry more than 30 years. He began his career in 1980 with Rosen’s Diversified, Inc. In 2005, Rosen’s Diversified, Inc. merged its meat processing companies with American Foods Group Inc. to create American Foods Group LLC.

David McDonald, President of OSI Group LLC, has been elected to serve as the vice-chair. McDonald has had a variety roles at OSI Group, starting there as an intern 25 years ago.

Gary Jacobson, COO of Indiana Packers Corp., will serve as the Treasurer. Jacobson joined Indiana Packers Corporation in 1993 as plant manager and has served as vice president of operations and executive vice president. Prior to joining Indiana Packers Corporation, Jacobson held positions with Dubuque Packing Company/FDL Foods and Armour & Company.

Mike Townsley, President of Bob Evans Farms Food Products Division, is a new incoming officer and will serve as secretary. Townsley joined Bob Evans Farms, Inc. as president and COO of Owens Foods, then Owens Country Sausage in 2003, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since 1987.

J. Patrick Boyle was re-elected by the AMI membership to serve as the Institute’s president and CEO through January 2014 and current AMI Executive Vice President James Hodges was elected to serve as interim president and CEO starting February 1, 2014.

Four new directors were elected to the AMI Board of Directors. The new members will serve a three-year term.

New directors include:

• Sara Lilygren, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Andre Nogueira, CEO, JBS USA
• John Richardson, President, Sugar Creek Packing
• Sam Rovit, Executive Vice President, Kraft Foods Group/ Oscar Mayer

Lilygren, Nogueira and Rovit will also join AMI’s Executive Committee along with Einar Einarsson, Marel, Inc., Bill Morgan, Johnsonville Sausage, LLC and Ed Sanchez, Lopez Foods, Inc.

Source: AMI