JBS USA, a leading global protein producer and branded food company with production facilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, announced this week the formation of an independent advisory board to support the company’s executive leadership on matters related to corporate governance, government and regulatory affairs, commodity risk management and marketing.

JBS said the advisory board will be comprised of four respected, independent leaders, including: John Boehner, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Greg Heckman, former president and chief executive officer of The Gavilon Group; Dimitri Panayotopoulos, former vice chairman of Procter & Gamble, and Harvey Pitt, former chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC).

“We are honored that such a high-caliber group of leaders has agreed to serve as inaugural members of the JBS USA advisory board,” JBS USA CEO Andre Nogueira said. “We look forward to the contributions of the advisory board members in advancing our plans for success and growth while preserving our unwavering commitment to governance, quality and outstanding customer service.”

Boehner led the House from January 2011 to October 2015. Since 2016, he has served as a strategic advisor at Squire Patton Boggs, a public affairs firm. Additionally, he sits on the board of directors of Arizona Mining Inc. and Reynolds American Inc.

Heckman has more than 30 years of experience in the agriculture, energy and food processing industries. Most recently, Heckman was CEO of The Gavilon Group, but he also spent 24 years at ConAgra as chief operating officer of the company’s Commercial Products division and then as president and COO of ConAgra Trade Group.

Panayotopoulos has extensive general management, international sales and brand-building expertise, spending more than 37 years at consumer goods company Procter & Gamble. He began his career there in 1977 and went on to become vice chairman and advisor to the chairman and CEO before he retired in January 2014. Panayotopoulos was appointed a non-executive director to the Board of British American Tobacco PLC in February 2015. He is chairman of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nominations Committee. Panayotopoulos is also a senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group and a board member of Logitech International S.A.

Pitt is CEO of the global business consulting firm Kalorama Partners LLC and its law firm affiliate, Kalorama Legal Services PLLC. Previously, he served as the 26th chairman of SEC. Prior to becoming SEC chairman, Pitt was a senior corporate partner at the international law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. He also served on SEC from 1968 until 1978, including three years as the commission’s general counsel (1975-78). He is currently a member of the Regulatory & Compliance Advisory Council of Millennium Management LLC and serves as both an advisor and director to certain funds of Paulson & Co. and its affiliates.

The JBS advisory board will meet quarterly, in addition to providing ongoing counsel to the JBS USA CEO and executive leadership teams in North America, Australia and New Zealand.