ORLANDO — The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) board of directors elected its slate of officers for 2023, with Steve Van Lannen, president and chief operating officer of American Foods Group LLC, chosen to serve as the incoming chairman.
Thirty-year industry veteran, Van Lannen joined American Foods in 2008 and was promoted to his current title in 2016. He has run meatpacking operations in Iowa, Nebraska, Arizona and Wisconsin.
Van Lannen’s past NAMI executive board positions include vice chair, treasurer and secretary. Additionally, Van Lannen is the current chairman of the University of Wisconsin Meat Science and Animal Biologics Advisory Council.
“This is both an exciting and a challenging time for the meat and poultry industry,” Van Lannen said. “We will continue to build on the leadership of our past chairman, Brad McDowell, to ensure the Meat Institute continues to provide exemplary service to its members and, through the Protein PACT, support the industry’s contributions to healthy people, a healthy planet and healthy animals.”
Other elections include:
- Eric Gustafson, vice chairman, Coast Packing Co.
- James Snee, treasurer, Hormel Foods Corp.
- Peter Bozzo, secretary, Michael's Finer Meats & Seafoods
- Brad McDowell, immediate past-chairman, AB Foods LLC
- Julie Anna Potts, president and chief executive officer, NAMI
NAMI members include over 350 meat packing and processing companies, the majority of which have fewer than 100 employees, and account for over 95% of the United States’ output of meat and 70% of turkey production.
