Don Dalton has been a leader in the poultry industry for over 40 years. He has progressively served as ingredient buyer, director of purchasing, director of planning, director of poultry processing, operations manager, complex manager, vice president and general manager of the foods division, and senior vice president of planning for Valmac Industries. He also served on the board of directors and as chairman of what was then Southeastern Poultry & Egg Association, now the US Poultry & Egg Association.

Dalton started at USPOULTRY as vice president of government relations and trade show in 1989, and was named association president in 1992. He oversaw the continued growth of the association’s educational programmes and the International Poultry Expo.  Both the Harold E. Ford Foundation, which supports poultry science programmes, and the Poultry Protein & Fat Council, which aids poultry renderers, were formed. Other expansion included the addition of the communications, environmental and food safety departments.

Throughout the years, Dalton has served the industry as a director of the Animal Agriculture Alliance and the International HACCP Alliance, as well as serving on several committees and commissions.

Don Dalton was introduced at the award ceremony by fellow retired USPOULTRY colleague, Larry Brown. “Most of Don Dalton’s working life reflects leadership and service to the poultry industry,” he said.