Von der Heyde succeeds outgoing Chairman Chaz Wilson, vice president of Grove Services, an international poultry trading company with offices in Atlanta. His election came Thursday during USAPEEC’s annual meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Until January, von der Heyde was vice president of international sales at Pilgrim’s headquarters in Greeley, Colorado, when he was promoted to head up the company’s operations in Mexico.

“Although USAPEEC has always been an international organization, this will make it even more so,” said USAPEEC President Jim Sumner of von der Heyde’s election. “It should serve the interests of both the U.S. and Mexican industries well and should also enhance the relationship that has developed over years with our Mexican counterparts.”

As chairman, von der Heyde will head the eight-member USAPEEC Executive Committee, which sets policy and gives direction to USAPEEC, an organization whose mission is to promote and increase exports of U.S. chicken, turkey, duck, and egg products worldwide.

Also elected to the executive committee were Mike Little, director of export sales at Mountaire Farms in Selbyville, Delaware as first vice chairman, and Jim Wayt of Intervision Foods in Atlanta as second vice chairman.

Joel Coleman, vice president and general manager of international sales at Butterball in Mt. Olive, North Carolina, was re-elected secretary-treasurer of the organisation.

Neil Carey of Simmons Prepared Foods in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, was re-elected chairman of USAPEEC’s Marketing Committee. The chairman of this committee also serves on the board and has a seat on the Executive Committee.

Rounding out the executive committee as at-large members are Steve Monroe of Sanderson Farms in Laurel, Mississippi, and Steve Lykken of Jennie-O Turkey Store in Wilmar, Minnesota. Wilson will remain on the committee as past-chairman.

New members elected to three-year terms on the USAPEEC board are Sher Marshall of Interra International in Atlanta; Bobby Wilburn of Peco Foods in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Dean Hughson of Henningson Foods in Omaha, Nebraska and Scott Chapman of Lineage Logistics in Richmond, Virginia.

Members of the USAPEEC Executive Committee for 2013-14 are, seated left to right: Chaz Wilson, Grove Services; Charles von der Heyde, Pilgrim's Mexico; Jim Sumner, president of USAPEEC; standing left to right: Jim Wayt, Intervision Foods; Steve Monroe, Sanderson Farms; Neil Carey, Simmons Prepared Foods; Mike Little, Mountaire Farms; Joel Coleman, Butterball; and Steve Lykken, Jennie-O Turkey Store.