WASHINGTON – During the National Chicken Council’s (NCC) annual conference, held in Washington, DC, the NCC installed Koch Foods chief operating officer, Mark Kaminsky for 2021-2022. It is Kaminsky’s second term as NCC chairman, previously serving from 2018-2019.  

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting at DePaul University, Kaminsky began his career at Arthur Andersen. In 1990 he started his tenure with Koch Foods on the financial side of the business while also learning the operational side, including live processing. He was there through Koch’s move to becoming a vertically integrated poultry company in 1996. He has assisted in Koch’s growth from a one-plant operation to one of the leading poultry companies in the United States, through internal expansion, green field site developments and acquisitions.

Kevin Garland, chief executive officer of Mountaire Farms, will serve as vice chairman. Prior to Mountaire, Kevin was a managing partner at The Sterling Group, a middle market private equity firm in Houston, for 17 years.

Perdue Farms CEO, Randy Day, will serve as the new NCC secretary-treasurer. Day was named CEO in March of 2017, after serving as COO beginning May of 2016. His career with Perdue began in 1980 and he held various positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s two operating divisions, Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness.

In addition to the three new officers, Mike Brown was elected to an eleventh term as president of the NCC.

“2021 has been a challenge for many industries across the United States, and across the world, including the chicken industry,” Brown said. “The determination, innovation and fortitude of this industry continue to amaze me, especially during a year faced with labor shortages, inflation, sky-rocketing input costs, transportation and shipping challenges, and more. As we continue to recover, I will rely on the collective expertise of Mark, Kevin and Randy to shape our priorities and provide direction for NCC and the industry in 2022.”