NCC Elects New Officers; Wayne-Sanderson’s Kevin McDaniel Installed as Chairman

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Chicken Council (NCC) has installed the officers that will guide the organization through 2027. The installation took place today at NCC's 71st Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Kevin McDaniel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne-Sanderson Farms, will serve as 2026-2027 Chairman.

Kevin served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Fresh Business Unit, and held the role of Chief Operating Officer for Wayne Farms prior to the acquisition. With over 35 years of industry experience, he brings a wealth of leadership expertise, most recently as President of Aviagen North America, as well as previous senior roles with OK Foods and Pilgrim's. Kevin earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Stephen F. Austin State University. He currently sits on the board at other associations, including the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. Kevin resides in Suwanee, Georgia with his wife Melissa. They have two grown daughters, Jordan and Loren. To download a picture of Kevin McDaniel, click here.

Kevin McAdams, Chief Executive Officer and President of Perdue Farms, will serve as Vice-Chairman. Kevin joined Perdue Farms in July 2022 as President of Perdue Foods and Chief Operating Officer of Perdue Farms, and was appointed CEO in July 2023-becoming only the fifth CEO in the company's 100+ year history. Before joining Perdue, he guided growth and transformation for leading names in both food and beverage-among them Jack Link's Protein Snacks, Schwan's Consumer Brands, and Pabst Brewing Company-building on earlier career experience with Red Bull GmbH, The Coca-Cola Company, and Frito-Lay (PepsiCo). A graduate of Iowa State University with a B.A. in Political Science, Kevin was honored with the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2024 for his business leadership and community impact. To download a picture of Kevin McAdams, click here.

New to the officer corps, Brad Respess, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tip Top Poultry, was installed as Secretary-Treasurer. He has served in his role at Tip Top as a member of the third generation of the family-owned and operated poultry and food processing business headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. With over 25 years of experience in the industry and almost a decade as CEO, Brad now leads the day-to-day business as the third generation of ownership. After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer engineering, Brad joined the high-tech firm Nortel Networks, working on the team that developed high-speed internet connections for new entrant telecommunications companies. Upon leaving the high-tech industry, Brad joined Tip Top in a sales support and inventory planning position and went on to hold various roles en route to becoming CEO. Brad and his wife Meghan have four children: Jack (24), Harry (22), Teddy (20) and Weezie (16). To download a picture of Brad Respess, click here.

In addition to the three new officers, Harrison Kircher will serve his third term as NCC President. To download a picture of Harrison, click here.

"I want to commend and thank David Jackson for his tremendous leadership and support over this past year," said Kircher. "Kevin McDaniel, Kevin McAdams and Brad Respess are proven leaders who bring decades of hands-on experience to our organization. I look forward to working alongside them as we advocate for policies that keep chicken affordable, safe and abundant, and as we advance an industry that produces America's #1 protein and supports communities across the country."

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