Butterball, LLC, the best-known and most-loved brand of turkey in the United States, recently announced that executive vice president of sales and marketing Al Jansen will retire at the end of the year after 11 years of service. Jansen is responsible for sales, marketing and customer service in the foodservice, retail, international and industrial channels, as well as leading Butterball’s corporate strategy process.

“Al is an incredible leader, respected by everyone he works with internally and externally,” said Jay Jandrain, president and CEO of Butterball. “He’s been integral in growing our retail and foodservice business, internationally and domestically, and a champion for innovation. Our team members, customers, board members and executive leadership team have tremendous respect for the impact he’s had on our business and his dedication to ensuring Butterball remains the turkey brand consumers love and trust. We wish him the best in his retirement.”

Scott Vinson will assume the executive vice president of sales and marketing position on June 9, working alongside Jansen during the leadership transition. Vinson comes to Butterball with over 30 years of experience in the meat industry, most recently serving as chief of customer experience for Cargill Protein in North America.

“Scott will be an incredible asset to our executive leadership team,” Jandrain said. “His values align with our culture and purpose, and his extensive experience in the protein category will immediately benefit our organization. We couldn’t be happier that he’s chosen to work at Butterball.”

Jansen joined Butterball in 2014 as a part of the executive leadership team after an impressive career at Perdue Farms and Agrimetrics. His accomplishments include cultivating an incredible team, stewarding the iconic Butterball brand, and serving as a key partner to major retailers and foodservice distributors. Under his strategic leadership, Butterball has built an impressive customer and product portfolio central to the company’s sustained success, including rapidly doubling Butterball’s ground turkey tray-pack business. “It’s been an honor to work for such an iconic brand,” Jansen said. “I’m incredibly proud of our amazing team and am excited to see what’s to come from Butterball.” His retirement will include spending time in the mountains, on the water and with his grandchildren.

Vinson joins Butterball after 25 years of service with Cargill Protein in North America and nearly six years at Perdue Farms, Inc. At Cargill, Vinson was responsible for driving revenue across sales channels, leading the sales, trading and distribution organizations, as well as customer service. He’s looking forward to joining the leadership team and immersing himself in the Butterball culture. “The turkey category has numerous opportunities for growth through innovation, and Butterball has the opportunity to ensure that turkey remains relevant to future generations of consumers,” Vinson said. “I am excited to join the Butterball team.”

About Butterball
Butterball, LLC, which is headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, is the best-known and most-loved brand of turkey in the U.S. Bringing people together over wholesome homemade meals for more than 60 years, the company provides retail and foodservice products to customers in more than 30 countries. Butterball is committed to being an industry leader in quality, food safety, and animal care and well-being and was the first major turkey company to achieve certification voluntarily through the American Humane Society. The company employs nearly 7,000 team members, who work in production facilities, live operations and offices across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina.