By Clay Brown | For The Tribune
Multiple leaders from Seymour-based Rose Acre Farms recently were appointed to positions with industry organizations.
Rose Acre Farms Vice President of Sales Greg Hinton was elected chairman of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association board of directors at the organization’s board meeting Jan. 27. He most recently served as vice chairman. Hinton was presented with the time-honored working man’s gavel by 2019 Chairman John Prestage.
The U.S. Poultry and Egg Association is the world’s largest and most active poultry organization, representing the entire industry as an All Feather association. The association is a nonprofit organization that progressively serves its poultry and egg members through research, education, communications and technical services.
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Hinton, a Rose Acre Farms employee for more than 40 years, has served numerous industry organizations, such as the Indiana State Egg Board, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, International Egg Commission, United Egg Producers, Indiana Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau.
Hinton also recently was voted vice chairman of the International Egg Commission, which represents egg producers from more than 70 countries across the globe.
In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s appointment of 2020 American Egg Board members, including Tony Wesner, chief operating officer of Rose Acre Farms.
The AEB is the U.S. egg industry’s national commodity marketing board, an organization fully funded by America’s egg farmers, with oversight by the USDA. Wesner will represent the South Atlantic state region as one of 18 new appointees named to two-year terms.
Both Hinton and Wesner are Jackson County natives and got their start with Rose Acre Farms at a young age.
Hinton started with the company during his last semester at Seymour High School in February 1980. After graduation, he stayed with the company full time while taking night classes at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. After many years of service, he eventually worked his way into his current position as vice president of sales for Rose Acre Farms.
Wesner joined Rose Acre Farms in June 1981 after graduating from trade school. He began with the company by greasing the company’s semi trucks and, much like Hinton, rose through the ranks at Rose Acre Farms. Today, he is the chief operations officer for the nation’s second largest egg producer.
“We pride ourselves on waking up every day and doing whatever we can to feed the world,” Wesner said. “We live in a world where 2 billion people are hungry every day, and the population continues to rise. We feel obligated to do our very best in helping feed the world a healthy and nutritious food.”
When Wesner and Hinton joined Rose Acre Farms, the company had only 3 million laying hens in the southern Indiana region. Today, Rose Acre Farms owns 17 egg laying operations in seven states with more than 26 million laying hens and more than 2,500 employees and is involved in six joint venture operations in six states with an additional 10 million laying hens.
“I think it’s a great example how people from the greater Jackson County area can work for a local company and make a large impact in not only the United States, but throughout the world,” Hinton said.
Though both Hinton and Wesner have put in decades of service, the younger generation at Rose Acre Farms also has had an opportunity to have an impact at a national scale.
Spencer Parrish and Zach Hurd recently were named to the IPPE’s 30 Under 30 Young Leaders Program. The program recognizes professional leadership qualities and provides complimentary registration and hotel accommodations to the International Poultry and Processing Expo, the world’s largest trade show involving the production and processing of meat and poultry products. Members of the program are recognized at a plaque presentation and breakfast the week of the expo.
The expo, conducted in Atlanta each January, features educational training, exposure to new technology and numerous networking opportunities among professionals in the poultry industry. It is estimated that more than 30,000 people attend the expo every year.
In addition, Meaghan Bari of Rose Acre Farms’ Pulaski County Egg Farm in Francesville was recently named to U.S. Poultry’s 20 Under 30 Program, a program similar to that of IPPE.
The 20 Under 30 Program recognizes professional leadership qualities of young professionals working in the poultry industry. Those receiving the recognition are provided complimentary registration and hotel accommodations to a 2020 U.S. Poultry seminar event.
Bryce McCory, an alumnus of IPPE’s 30 Under 30 Young Leaders Program, recently was named to the International Egg Commission’s Young Egg Leaders Program.
The program develops young leaders in the egg industry by providing a range of unique opportunities and mentoring from senior egg industry figures and partner organizations on an international level. The goal of the program is to provide a platform for young leaders to network with other industry professionals, foster the sharing of knowledge and ultimately drive egg consumption on a global scale.
McCory, a Jackson County native and third generation member of the Rust family, is joined in Young Egg Leaders by professionals from Canada, India, Ukraine, Germany, Colombia, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
“This will provide me with a great opportunity to learn and connect with others,” McCory said. “It will be interesting to see how egg producers in other countries operate, and I’m excited to get to visit them.”
McCory will be involved in the program for two years and have the opportunity to visit a number of different countries.
“Working in the egg industry, and Rose Acre Farms specifically, offers unlimited opportunities to young people looking to get in the industry,” he said. “There are so many opportunities to grow and make an impact if you are willing to work hard at what you do.”
McCory’s main driving force behind his work is similar to that of Wesner.
“I love knowing that the work I do helps feed people every day,” McCory said. “There are a lot of families that depend on us. If we don’t do our jobs well, then many people are left without food to eat.”
Rose Acre Farms also implemented the Emerging Leaders Program, a five-year management training program that allows participants to work in every department of the company. The goal is for members to gain both technical and management skills while learning about the many different aspects of Rose Acre Farms.
After the program, members will have a well-rounded knowledge of the company and be ready for key leadership within the organization. Brandon Briner, Stephanie Solberg, Parrish, Hurd, Garrett Ward and McCory are the current members of the program.
Wesner recognizes the responsibility of developing the next round of leaders for the company’s future.
“This group is the future of Rose Acre Farms,” he said. “Greg and I were the last 40 years of this company, and we need to have someone ready for the next 40 years. It’s our responsibility to leave Rose Acre better than we found it. We need someone else to step up and help feed the world, and this is a step in the right direction.”
Wesner said the positions available with Rose Acre Farms aren’t limited to tending to hens and picking up eggs.
“It doesn’t matter what your interests are. There are all types of positions available with Rose Acre,” he said. “We have hands-on jobs, jobs in animal husbandry, skilled labor, finance and a multitude of others. The great thing about the egg industry is that it takes people from a wide array of backgrounds to help feed the world.”