The nation's largest turkey processor,Butterball LLC, said it appointedRod Brennemanas the company’s new chief executive officer. Brenneman had been serving as interim  CEO following the mid-April 2011 departure of Keith Shoemaker.

Butterball is now a joint venture between Maxwell Farms and Seaboard Corp. of Kansas.  Prior to joining Butterball, Brenneman had been at Seaboard Corporation since 1989. He served in various financial management capacities throughout his tenure including director of tax and business development; vice president, finance and administration; senior vice president, live production; and most recently, as president and chief executive officer ofSeaboard Foods.

Officials said that throughout his time at Seaboard Corporation, Brenneman was involved in many of the company’s acquisitions and joint ventures, and was instrumental in building the company from its start-up to be one of the top hog production and pork processing companies in the United States.
 
“I am pleased to welcome Rod to the helm of Butterball, and I look forward to utilizing his valuable knowledge and vision in corporate leadership to continue to build the Butterball brand,” said Walter Pelletier, president of Maxwell Farms, LLC, which shares equal ownership of Butterball with Seaboard Corporation. “As one of America’s most recognized and respected brands, our number one priority is to produce the highest quality of healthy, wholesome turkey products for consumers. Rod will provide instrumental strategic corporate insight to strengthen Butterball’s business operations while helping the company maintain committed to its core goals.”

“Rod has done exceptionally well in developing Seaboard Foods into the business it is today, and we are excited that he will bring his proven management skills and business expertise to Butterball, our most recent acquisition,” stated Steve Bresky, Seaboard Corp. president and chief executive officer. “With his strategic and customer orientated approach, we are optimistic that Rod will bring significant value to Butterball products, the brand name and the company overall. We are also encouraged that the Maxwell Group has expressed the same optimism.”
 
Brenneman serves on the Board of Directors and is on the Executive Committee for the American Meat Institute. Additionally, in 2011 he was inducted into to the Oklahoma Pork Hall of Fame.
 
“I am honored to be chosen to lead Butterball through this next chapter,” said Brenneman. “It is important to continue to build upon the principles that have made this company so strong, while ensuring our operations remain flexible in this challenging economy.” 

Butterball produces 1 billion pounds of turkey each year, and the company supplies its products to more than 50 countries. The company has seven plants located throughout the United States.