Pilgrim's Pride CEO and COO Resign

PITTSBURG, TEXAS — Clint Rivers, Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.’s president and chief executive officer, and Robert A. Wright, chief operating officer, resigned Dec. 16 as part of the company’s reorganization efforts under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The company’s board of directors named Don Jackson president and CEO subject to approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Lonnie Ken Pilgrim, chairman, was appointed as interim president until Mr. Jackson is approved. Mr. Jackson will assume the combined duties of Mr. Rivers and Mr. Wright at that time.

Mr. Jackson was previously president of Foster Farms’ poultry division, a poultry processor on the West coast. Before that, he was executive vice-president of food service of the former ConAgra Poultry Company in Duluth, Ga. He also worked 22 years for Seaboard Farms of Athens, Ga., including four years as president and CEO of the poultry division.

Lonnie (Bo) Pilgrim, senior chairman of Pilgrim’s Pride, said that as the company begins the reorganization process it will be best served by a fresh perspective on the opportunities available through restructuring.

Source: MeatPoultry.com