Butterball interim CEO Rod Brenneman has been appointed to lead the US turkey processor on a permanent basis.

Brenneman, a senior executive at one of Butterball’s two investors, took charge of Butterball in April after president and CEO Keith Shoemaker resigned.

However, Butterball said yesterday (6 September) that “after an extensive search”, the company had appointed Brenneman to the role on a full-time basis.

The move will mean Brenneman will leave his job as president and CEO of pork processor Seaboard Foods, an arm of Butterball investor and US conglomerate Seaboard Corp.

Seaboard Corp. acquired a 50% stake in Butterball last September and co-owns the business with meat processor Maxwell Farms.

“Rod has done exceptionally well in developing Seaboard Foods into the business it is today, and we are excited that he will bring his proven management skills and business expertise to Butterball, our most recent acquisition,” Seaboard Corp. president and CEO Steve Bresky said. “With his strategic and customer orientated approach, we are optimistic that Rod will bring significant value to Butterball products, the brand name and the company overall. We are also encouraged that the Maxwell Group has expressed the same optimism.”

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