Butterball names new CEO

GARNER, N.C. — Butterball LLC, the nation’s largest turkey producer, has announced the appointment of Rod Brenneman as the company’s new CEO. After an extensive search, the company came back to its first and number one candidate, who has been filling the role as interim CEO and is already familiar with the organization.

“I am pleased to welcome Rod to the helm of Butterball, and I look forward to utilizing his valuable knowledge and vision in corporate leadership to continue to build the Butterball brand,” said Walter Pelletier, president of Maxwell Farms LLC, which shares equal ownership of Butterball with Seaboard Corp. “As one of America’s most recognized and respected brands, our number one priority is to produce the highest quality of healthy, wholesome turkey products for consumers. Rod will provide instrumental strategic corporate insight to strengthen Butterball’s business operations while helping the company maintain committed to its core goals.”

Brenneman brings a wealth of corporate experience in both the pork and poultry industries to the Butterball team. In his role as chief executive officer at Butterball, Brenneman will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Butterball’s business strategy and operations.

Prior to joining Butterball, Brenneman had been at Seaboard Corp. since 1989 – serving in various financial management capacities throughout his tenure including director of tax and business development; VP finance and administration; SVP live production; and most recently, as president and chief executive officer of Seaboard Foods. Throughout his time at Seaboard Corp., Brenneman was involved in many of the company’s acquisitions and joint ventures, and was instrumental in building the company from its start-up to be one of the top hog production and pork processing companies in the United States.

Brenneman serves on the board of directors and is on the executive committee for the American Meat Institute. Additionally, in 2011 he was inducted into to the Oklahoma Pork Hall of Fame.