GREELEY, Colo. – JBS USA announced the appointment of Thomas Lopez to president of Plumrose USA on Jan. 9. Earlier in his career, Lopez held several senior-level positions at Kraft Foods and Kraft-Heinz Food Co., where he previously served as its president of beverages and snacks division. He also served in the US Army, earning the rank of Captain. He will lead Plumrose’s strategy and growth as well as overseeing five prepared foods facilities in Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi and Vermont. Plumrose also operates two distribution centers in Indiana and Mississippi.

“Tom brings a wealth of experience in leveraging consumer marketing practices to deliver strong brand performance,” said Andre Nogueira, CEO of JBS USA. “During his public service in the military and throughout his professional career, Tom has demonstrated the unique ability to lead and engage teams to produce outstanding results. His extensive experience in building consumer brands, leading turnaround efforts, accelerating top- and bottom-line growth, and managing sales, marketing, R&D and operations, will be an incredible asset for the Plumrose USA team. We are excited to add such a well-respected and accomplished executive to our team.”

In March, JBS announced its plans to acquire Plumrose from Canada’s Danish Crown A/S for approximately $230 million. Plumrose is a processor of prepared foods, which includes bacon, lunch meats, sliced deli meats, canned hams and cooked ribs.

Lopez earned a Bachelor’s degree in engineering management from the US Military Academy at West Point and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Univ. of Missouri at Rolla.

“It is an honor to join the JBS USA team and serve alongside some of the most respected leaders in food and agriculture,” Lopez said.