ATLANTA — The US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) doled out the annual Lamplighter Award to five individuals at the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). 

The award is given to people for “sustained and exemplary service” to the poultry and egg industry.

“The dedication and service of this year’s Lamplighter Award recipients has been invaluable in driving the poultry industry forward. We value their contributions, and we sincerely appreciate their service to the industry,” said Jarod Morrison, Farbest Foods, and outgoing USPOULTRY chair.

The first recipient of the award was Mike Giles, president of the Georgia Poultry Federation. Giles started with the federation in January 2000 as an assistant executive director. He became president in January 2009. Before taking on his role at the Georgia Poultry Federation, he worked at the University of Georgia (UGA) in the Office of External Affairs and at the University of Georgia Alumni Association. Prior to UGA, Giles held positions with US Senator Sam Nunn and Sandoz Corp.

Next was Sherman Miller, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods. He joined the company in 1996, where he has worked in various positions of increasing responsibility in operations and management, including serving as vice president of operations, CEO and president.

Miller’s current board service includes contributions to the United Egg Producers, USPOULTRY and the Mississippi State University Poultry Science Advisory Board. He has also served on the USPOULTRY board of directors since 2012 and was chair of the board in 2015.

Miller earned his Bachelor of Science in Poultry Science from Mississippi State University, where he currently serves as the Distinguished Fellow for the Department of Poultry Science.

Another award recipient was Ken Opengart, PhD, vice president of animal welfare and international sustainability for Tyson Foods. Before working at Tyson, Opengart held various positions at Keystone Foods, including vice president of global sustainability and animal welfare. Other employers of Opengart include Eli Lilly and Co., Elanco Animal Health, Wampler Foods, and Seaboard Farms/Conagra Poultry.

Opengart holds a master’s degree in poultry science from Virginia Tech, his veterinary degree from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and his PhD from Virginia Tech. He is a current board member of the US Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs/International Poultry Welfare Alliance.

Next up for the award was David E. Swayne, DVM, with specialization as a veterinary pathologist and poultry veterinarian. In the past 36 years, Swayne’s personal research focused on pathobiology and control of poultry diseases, primarily avian influenza. He published more than 354 peer-reviewed papers, 117 book chapters and has given 369 invited lecturers. He also served as editor or associate editor of 16 text and proceedings books. He serves in leadership roles at the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), where he has led updates to the avian influenza chapters in Terrestrial Animal Health Code and Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals and completed a 16-month sabbatical to study highly pathogenic avian influenza control programs.

Swayne currently serves as a steering committee member for OFFLU, the joint WOAH and the Food and Agriculture Organization Animal Influenza Network. Previously, he served as the laboratory director of the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, US National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture in Athens, Ga., and as a tenured faculty member at The Ohio State University. He is currently a private veterinarian consulting on avian influenza control.

The last recipient of the award was Barbara Jenkins, who began her career with USPOULTRY in 2000 and worked in various positions in the education department. Jenkins was promoted to vice president of education programs in 2011, and the student program was added to her job responsibilities in 2014.

Jenkins was named executive director of the USPOULTRY Foundation in 2018. In addition to maintaining various roles for USPOULTRY, she has assumed responsibility for the USPOULTRY Foundation’s day-to-day operations.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from DeVry University in 2006 and was recognized in 2016 with an Honorary American FFA Degree by the National FFA Organization, the highest honorary degree presented by the organization.

Jenkins is also the current chair of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events Education Committee and is on the Board of Directors and the Sponsors Board of the National FFA Organization.