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NTF Chairman Says Food Safety and Energy Top Turkey Industry Priorities
Paul Hill, West Liberty Foods, Elected 2008 NTF Chairman
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San Diego, Calif., February 12, 2008 -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Sherrie Rosenblatt, National Turkey Federation
202-898-0100 ext. 7227, srosenblatt@turkeyfed.org
The National Turkey Federation’s (NTF) Board of Directors today elected Paul Hill to serve as the federation’s 2008 chairman. Hill is chairman of the board at West Liberty Foods, headquartered in West Liberty, Iowa.
Hill called on NTF to focus on food safety and energy, along with educating consumers and elected officials about the turkey industry. Speaking about these important issues, Hill said during his acceptance speech, “The question for us today is how are we going to handle what happens at the National Turkey Federation and throughout the turkey industry this year?”
He concluded by saying, “I will give my best to further the integrity and purpose of the National Turkey Federation. We must all take our individual company hats off and put our industry hats on and work for the betterment of the people in our industry. I will do just that.”
Along with being chairman of West Liberty Foods, the 12th largest turkey processor in the United States, Hill is president of Circle Hill Farms, Ltd., in Ellsworth, Iowa. He was instrumental in the founding of West Liberty Foods, a farmer-owned company, 10 years ago, which now processes more than 217 million pounds of turkey meat annually.
Hill graduated from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., with a B.A. in economics. He and his wife Mary farm and raise turkeys, and they are active participants in their church and community projects.
He served six years in the U.S. Army National Guard, served on the Iowa Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation Poultry and Environmental Advisory Committee, and has served as chairman of the American Farm Bureau Poultry Advisory Committee.
The Hill’s were named 1995 Iowa Master Farmers. Hill was named Farmer Cooperator Director of the Year in 2002. He is past chairman of the Iowa Agricultural Finance Cooperation.
During Tuesday’s Board meeting at the NTF’s Annual Convention, the Directors also elected Walter Pelletier, secretary/treasurer, Butterball, LLC, as vice chairman; and Yubert Envia, general manager, turkey division, Foster Farms, Inc, as secretary-treasurer. Ted Seger, president, Farbest Foods, Inc., assumes the position of immediate past-chairman.
During the convention, the Board also reelected Randy Day, Perdue Farms; Richard Huisinga, Willmar Poultry Company Inc.; Ron Prestage, Prestage Farms; and Mike Tolbert, Jennie-O Turkey Store to the Executive Committee (EC).
Elected to the EC were John Burkel, Northern Pride, Inc.; Gary Cooper, Cooper Farms; and Steve Willardsen, Cargill Inc.
After the Board meeting, the EC members appointed Jihad Douglas, Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms; and Carl Wittenburg, Protein Alliance, Inc. to the EC.
The National Turkey Federation is the advocate for all segments of the $8 billion U.S. turkey industry, providing services and conducting activities that increase demand for its member’s products. The federation also protects and enhances its member’s ability to effectively and profitably provide wholesome, high quality, nutritious turkey products.
2008 Board of Directors
(Nominated)
ALABAMA
Rebecca Bates Sloane
ARKANSAS
Paul Lawrence
John O’Carroll
James Plyler
Steve Willardsen
CALIFORNIA
Ira Brister
Yubert Envia
John Ross
COLORADO
Alice Johnson
Joe Nalley
CONNECTICUT, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS,
NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY,
NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA,
VERMONT
Dave Boyer
Ron Morris
ILLINOIS
Robert Kauffman
INDIANA
Jay Houchin
Tom Schaffer
Ted Seger
IOWA
Robert Achen
Paul Hill
MICHIGAN
John Janssen
Harold Walcott
MINNESOTA
John Burkel
Kim Gorans
Richard Huisinga
Gary Thurnau
Mike Tolbert
Jim Trites
Gregg Veldman
MISSOURI
Greg Abbiatti
Tony Barnes
Mike Briggs
Tim Scanlan
NEBRASKA
Bill Bevans
NORTH CAROLINA
Kerry Doughty
Bob Johnson
Ronnie Parker
Walter Pelletier
John Prestage
Scott Prestage
Keith Shoemaker
NORTH DAKOTA
Sharlene Wittenburg
OHIO
Gary Cooper
Eric Ludwig
SOUTH CAROLINA
Lyle Olson
Ron Prestage
Sam Starnes
SOUTH DAKOTA
Nathaniel Hofer
Tim Hofer
TEXAS, OKLAHOMA
Peter Brown
Wesley Carter
UTAH
Tracy Cook
Michael Christensen
VIRGINIA,
WEST VIRGINIA
Randy Day
Jim Mason
Tim Maupin
Steve Bazzle
WISCONSIN
Allen Behl
Dave Mills
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
Jose Cardenas
Jihad Douglas
Bill Goerich
Bill Hodge
Rich Hogrefe
Ted Huisinga
Ron Kardel
Barry Kelly
Chad Larson
Maury Ore
Don Smith
Jeff Sveen
Lynn Tenold
Allen Traywick
Bernie Treidl
Barry Uncles
Tony Volk
Carl Wittenburg
DIRECTORS EMERITUS
Bill Bates
G. Yan Ghazikhanian
Pete Hermanson
Janet Hermanson
Marilyn McAlpine
John McDade
Ray Norling
Martin Rich
Norm Rich
Richard Shinn
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