National Meat Association presented the following awards at its 66th Annual Convention last week:
E. Floyd Forbes Award: Jimmy Maxey
Named for Floyd Forbes, who led the formation of NMA’s predecessor organization Western States Meat Packers Association in 1946, this award recognizes a person that has distinguished himself by making outstanding contributions to the industry, over and above his own personal business interests. Jimmy Maxey grew up in Fresno, California on a small family cattle ranch. He worked his entire career in the family business, which included beef packing, beef processing, and cattle feeding. After selling Beef Packers Inc. / Fresno Meat Co in 2006, he remains active, working for his sons at Certified Meat Products. Jimmy has served as President and Board Chairman of the National Meat Association. He currently serves on the California Beef Council and chaired the council in 2008. He also serves as a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and joined the Beef Promotion Operating Committee earlier this year. NMA recognizes his great contribution with its highest award, and congratulates him on receiving a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA-20).
Supplier of the Year: Mark Moshier, Arrowsight
The Supplier of the Year is selected from a list recommended by NMA General Members, firms that interact with suppliers throughout the year. Suppliers are very important to the lifeblood of NMA. In fact, they are so important that they have six seats on the Board of Directors. This year’s honoree, Mark Moshier, is Arrowsight’s Manufacturing Division president. He has an extensive background within the food and beverage industry, including senior level positions at industry leaders such as Tyson Foods, PepsiCo and Ralston Purina. His industry experience has assisted Arrowsight in developing food safety, animal handling and biosecurity uses for its technology, which has the potential to benefit the entire industry.
Presidential Award: Bill Sessions
This award goes to an individual whose contributions to the association and our industry stand out as outstanding. This person is example of the mutually beneficial relationships between an association and the community on whom its success depends. Although he recently retired, Bill Sessions concluded a distinguished career at USDA as the Associate Deputy Administrator of the entire Livestock and Seed (LS) Program. The LS Program is responsible for reporting livestock and grain market news; developing standards for meat, cattle, swine, and wool; meat grading and certification; purchasing red meats and fish for the Federal food and nutrition programs; country of origin labeling; monitoring the research and promotion activities of the American Lamb Board, Mohair Council of America, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, National Pork Board, and the United Soybean Board; and enforcing the Federal Seed Act. Bill did an outstanding job juggling all these responsibilities and is certainly worthy of NMA’s Presidential Award.
Hold the Mustard: Falls Brand (Independent Meat Company)
For the second year in a row, Falls Brand won the “Hold the Mustard” Award at NMA’s Annual Gourmet Sausagefest. This year’s victory went to its “Old Fashioned Mild Smoked Sausage.” This is the eighteenth year of the award, and there were nine competitors.
Source: NMA
