Regional Poultry Federation announces leaders for 2015-2016

The Poultry Federation of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, announces its Officers and Board of Directors for the 2015-2016 year. Serving as chairman of the board is David Elam, Complex Manager for Wayne Farms, LLC in Danville; vice chairman of the board is James Smith, Senior Vice President of Live Operations and First Processing, Simmons Foods, Inc., Siloam Springs; treasurer of the board is Jim Smith, President of Keith Smith Co., Inc., in Hot Springs; and secretary of the board is Drew McGee; Senior Vice President/General Manager Raw Poultry, Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale. In addition, James Smith will serve as the 2016 Annual Poultry Festival Chairman.
Board members for 2015-2016 include Bill Folk, Complex Manager at Butterball, LLC, Huntsville; Robert Garlington, Vice President of George’s Inc. Arkansas and Missouri Operations; Charles George, Co-CEO and Co-President of George’s Inc., Springdale;  Vaughn King, Western Region Sales Manager, Aviagen, Inc.; Wes McClure, Senior Vice President of Further Processing, Simmons Prepared Foods; Mike Pruitt, General Manager, North America, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Siloam Springs; Tim Thompson, Vice President of Operations, Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.; Stephan Barnes, Vice President of Operations at Ozark Mountain Poultry, Rogers; Duane Weems, Live Operations Manager, Peco Foods, Pocahontas;  Shane Acosta, General Manager, Cargill, Springdale; Russell Bragg, Vice President Transportation and Grains at O.K. Foods, Fort Smith;  Don Burrows, Complex Manager at Pilgrim’s, DeQueen; Dr. Scott Gustin, Director of Veterinary Services, Domestic Poultry at Tyson Foods, Springdale; and Gary Hogue, Vice President of Live Production, O.K. Foods, Fort Smith.
Two Allied membership representatives serve on this year’s Board of Directors. They are: Preston Stiles, Vice President of Conveyor Technology located in Maumelle; and Tim Scott, Managing Partner at Clearview Enterprises, LLC, located in Tontitown.
Marvin Childers of Little Rock serves as president of The Poultry Federation. “Our federation board of directors has a long-standing history of maintaining strong leaders who contribute to the long-term prosperity of our industry,” stated Childers. “We appreciate their service to our tristate association.”