BOAZ, ALA. — Fully employee-owned poultry processing company AlaTrade Foods Inc. announced the appointment of Josh Whitley as its new president.

“Josh will enhance the growth of AlaTrade in many ways,” said John Pittard, chief executive officer and former president of AlaTrade. “He has held many key positions in the poultry industry and is bringing all this experience with him to AlaTrade. This experience, along with his leadership skills and ‘people first’ mentality, makes him a great fit to lead AlaTrade.”

Bringing over two decades of experience in business, management, finance and additional fields, Whitley steps into the role with a growth-minded mission, paired with a commitment to financial stability and customer satisfaction.

Most recently, Whitley served for a corporation that facilitates AI (artificial intelligence) within food processing plants to safeguard employee welfare and procedures, among other things.

Whitley’s career began at Tyson Foods Inc., where he worked as an industrial engineer. Throughout his tenure at Tyson, he served in various roles, including management positions and ultimately vice president of operations. Whitley also worked for Smithfield Packing, an independently owned company of Smithfield Foods, as the industrial engineering manager at their corporate headquarters. Drawing on his plant experience, Whitley opened his own small processing plant for a couple of years in Louisburg, NC.

Whitley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas.

“Empowerment and morale set AlaTrade apart,” Whitley said, adding, “I love the idea of [the employees] profiting from the company’s success, and then getting empowered from that.”

Pittard, president and CEO of AlaTrade since 2006, will guide Whitley in his new role while staying at the helm as CEO.