Aviagen North America welcomes Kasey Wilson as feed mill manager for the company’s new feed processing facility in Pikeville, Tenn., effective March 1. In this role, he will be responsible for overseeing the production, quality, cost, and safety of the facility.

Slated for opening in January of next year, the new feed mill will provide Aviagen’s growing internal broiler breeding flocks with high-quality, pathogen-free feed. The facility joins Sallisaw, Okla., and Athens, Ala., in the company’s fleet of high-capacity, biosecure, and state-of-the-art feed processing facilities.

Wilson will report directly to Richard Obermeyer, director of feed production. Obermeyer explained that Wilson was chosen from a long list of candidates due to his considerable expertise.

“We are happy to welcome Kasey as our feed mill manager for the Pikeville feed processing facility,” said Obermeyer. “The modern feed mill is a highly complex operation, and effective management requires a unique skill set. Kasey was selected based on his qualifications, along with strong leadership, communication and organizational abilities and enthusiasm for feed mill excellence.”

Wilson commented, “I am excited to become part of the Aviagen family as manager of the innovative Pikeville facility. Aviagen and I share a passion for bird health and welfare, which I believe begins with nutritious, biosecure feed.”

He continued, “My wife, children and I look forward to becoming part of the Pikeville community, which has been extremely warm and welcoming.”

After achieving a bachelor’s degree in feed science management at Kansas State University, Wilson accepted a position as management trainee at Perdue Farms in Kentucky. He quickly rose in the ranks at Perdue from trainee, to foreman, to supervisor to manager at the Livermore, Ky., feed mill. He served at Perdue for 16 years.