Yasso names new CMO, National Chicken Council elects new members and more personnel announcements
ASSOCIATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS/UNIVERSITIES: The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, Long Beach, Calif.
Heather Tomley was elected managing director of planning and environmental affairs for the Harbor Department, charged with leading the port’s environmental planning, transportation planning and master planning divisions. Tomley has been with the department since 2005, most recently serving as acting managing director for the past 12 months. Before that, she served as an environmental planning associate, was promoted to environmental specialist and then senior environmental specialist in 2006. In 20018, she became assistant director of environmental planning before being named director in 2014. Before coming to Long Beach, she served as a project scientist with SCS Engineers (2004-2005) following five years (1999-2004) as an air quality specialist for the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District.
National Chicken Council (NCC), Washington, D.C. Clint Rivers, president and CEO of Wayne Farms LLC, was installed as 2019-2020 chairman, succeeding outgoing chairman Mark Kaminsky, chief operating officer at Koch Foods. Rivers joined Wayne Farms in October 2012 as vice president and general manager of the fresh business unit. In 2014, he was promoted to chief operating officer, and in 2017, was promoted to president and CEO. Prior to joining Wayne Farms, Rivers spent 6 years as president of foodservice and supply chain with Perdue Farms. He spent 21 years with Pilgrim’s Pride, where he held a number positions of increasing responsibility, including chief operating officer and president and CEO. Rivers first began his career in the industry as a microbiologist and quality assurance foreman for Golden West Foods. Trent Goins, president and CEO of O.K. Foods, takes over as vice chairman. Over the past 15-plus years, Goins has held various positions within the company, including vice president of sales and marketing and regional sales manager. He is also president of the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board of The Poultry Federation and the 64/6 Committee and is the co-founder of the Outlier Music Festival and the Peacemaker Music and Arts Festival. Preceding his tenure at O.K. Foods, Goins worked as a legislative assistant on agriculture and trade policy for Congressman Robert Marion Berry of Arkansas’ first Congressional district. Jayson Penn, president and CEO of Pilgrim’s, will assume the role as secretary-treasurer. Penn joined Pilgrim’s in 2011, and served as senior vice president of the commercial business group, executive vice president of sales and operations and president of Pilgrim’s USA prior to his current role. He maintains more than 30 years of experience. Penn started his career in his family’s poultry operation, and has held management positions at several leading poultry companies. He also served on the board of directors and the executive committee of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, and currently serves on the board of directors and executive committee of the National Chicken Council and the board of directors of The World Poultry Foundation. Mike Brown, senior vice president for legislative affairs of the American Meat Institute, was elected to a seventh term as president.
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Camp Hill, Pa.
Andrea Karns, vice president of marketing and sales at Karns Quality Foods, and Joe Munno, regional manager, industry engagement at Altria Group, joined as new members of the board of directors. Munno takes the seat previously held by Jim Pulsifer, director, regulatory and legislative industry engagement at Altria Group Distribution Co. Karns spearheads various initiatives throughout the company's eight locations in Central Pennsylvania, including overseeing the rewards card program, executing promotional events and managing production of the weekly and monthly ads. She also interacts directly with customers through a variety of platforms. Karns is also a member of the Elizabethtown College Leadership Council and a board member of the Center of Dairy Excellence. Munno has worked at Altria for more than seven years, holding a variety of positions, including account manager, unit manager and territory sales manager.