WASHINGTON -- The National Turkey Federation's Board of Directors has elected Paul Hill to serve as the federation's 2008 chairman.
Hill is chairman of the board at West Liberty Foods, headquartered in West Liberty, Iowa.
Hill called on NTF to focus on food safety and energy, along with educating consumers and elected officials about the turkey industry. Speaking about these important issues, Hill said during his acceptance speech, "The question for us today is how are we going to handle what happens at the National Turkey Federation and throughout the turkey industry this year?"
He concluded by saying, "I will give my best to further the integrity and purpose of the National Turkey Federation. We must all take our individual company hats off and put our industry hats on and work for the betterment of the people in our industry. I will do just that."
Along with being chairman of West Liberty Foods, the 12th largest turkey processor in the United States, Hill is president of Circle Hill Farms, Ltd., in Ellsworth, Iowa. He was instrumental in the founding of West Liberty Foods, a farmer-owned company, 10 years ago, which now processes more than 217 million pounds of turkey meat annually.
Hill graduated from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., with a B.A. in economics. He and his wife Mary farm and raise turkeys, and they are active participants in their church and community projects.
He served six years in the U.S. Army National Guard, served on the Iowa Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation Poultry and Environmental Advisory Committee, and has served as chairman of the American Farm Bureau Poultry Advisory Committee.
The Hill's were named 1995 Iowa Master Farmers. Hill was named Farmer Cooperator Director of the Year in 2002. He is past chairman of the Iowa Agricultural Finance Cooperation.
During Tuesday's Board meeting at the NTF's Annual Convention, the Directors also elected Walter Pelletier, secretary/treasurer, Butterball, LLC, as vice chairman; and Yubert Envia, general manager, turkey division, Foster Farms, Inc, as secretary-treasurer. Ted Seger, president, Farbest Foods, Inc., assumes the position of immediate past-chairman.
During the convention, the Board also reelected Randy Day, Perdue Farms; Richard Huisinga, Willmar Poultry Company Inc.; Ron Prestage, Prestage Farms; and Mike Tolbert, Jennie-O Turkey Store to the Executive Committee.
Elected to the Executive Committee were John Burkel, Northern Pride, Inc.; Gary Cooper, Cooper Farms; and Steve Willardsen, Cargill Inc.
After the Board meeting, the EC members appointed Jihad Douglas, Nicholas Turkey Breeding Farms; and Carl Wittenburg, Protein Alliance, Inc. to the Executive Committee.
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