October 13, 2014
Foster Farms CEO to step down
The president and CEO of Foster Farms, Ron Foster, has announced plans to resign from his executive positions, although he will remain owner and director.
His resignation takes effect once the company "completes its search for a successor," the Foster Farms announcement said.
In a letter to the company's employees, Foster said, "I have greatly enjoyed the past 11 years as your CEO. During this period, we have witnessed some of the most challenging and some of the most rewarding times in our company's history."
"I am confident that Foster Farms is positioned to do great things," he added.
The expansive chicken-processing firm grew 70% during the 11 years Foster served as president and CEO.
But the company also was at the center of a Salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 600 people and, more recently, the target of a burglary at its plant in Caruthers, California that left 1,000 chickens bludgeoned to death.
. Max and Verda Foster founded the company in 1939 after borrowing US$1,000 against a life-insurance policy. What began as an 80-acre farm in Modesto, California, the company website said, grew into a multi-state chicken and turkey processing giant.
"The company maintained its position as the No. 1 brand of fresh chicken in the Western United States and became the first major poultry producer in the US to be certified by the American Humane Association," a company statement said.
"In 2014, Foster Farms became the No. 1 brand of frozen cooked chicken in the Western United States as well," the statement added. "The company is in the second year of a five-year strategic growth plan initiated by Foster, which will see the introduction of major new products under the flagship Foster Farms fresh brand in 2015 and new product entries in prepared foods categories."
