ATLANTA — Mikell Fries, president of Claxton Poultry Farms in Claxton, Ga., was elected the new chairman of the board of directors for the US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) during a board meeting held at the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). Fries served previously as the vice chairman of USPOULTRY. 

Jarod Morrison, chief financial officer for Farbest Foods, became the immediate past chairman.

Before working as head of operations at Claxton, Fries spent several years in senior positions working as a sales and marketing leader. He served in various capacities in the poultry industry over the years, including boards of directors for the Georgia Poultry Federation and Norman W. Fries Inc. Fries is a graduate of Georgia Southern University, where he obtained a degree in business management.

“With the experience and guidance these officers bring to our organization, the future of USPOULTRY is in excellent hands,” said Nath Morris, president of USPOULTRY. “I look forward to their leadership in helping to shape our organization over the next year.”

Jonathan Cade of Hy-Line International in Des Moines, Iowa, was named vice chair. 

Before working as president of Hy-Line International, he served as managing director of Hy-Line subsidiary, Hy-Line UK International. Cade has a degree from Harper Adams University in the United Kingdom.

Bill Griffith, chief operating officer of Peco Foods Inc. in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was elected treasurer for the USPOULTRY board.

Prior to working at Peco, Griffith held the position of president at Keystone Foods US. In a previous stop, he also worked at Perdue Foods, overseeing food safety, quality and regulatory compliance. Griffith was also a microbiologist for Tyson Foods.

During his time in the industry, Griffith served on the USPOULTRY Foundation Research Advisory Committee and remained active with the National Chicken Council. 

Finally, Alice Johnson, DVM, senior vice president of food safety, regulatory and animal well-being at Butterball LLC in Garner, NC, was named secretary of the board.

Since joining the company in 2006, Johnson has worked alongside federal and state regulatory agencies to implement and manage government regulations within the company.

Before working at Butterball, Johnson served as president and CEO of the National Turkey Federation. She has also held multiple leadership positions with organizations like the National Food Processors Association and the North American Meat Institute.

Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Pfeiffer College and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tuskegee Institute.