Wally Taylor of Tyson Foods, Inc., Honored With American Meat Institute Edward C. Jones Community Service Award

Wally Taylor, a poultry complex manager for Tyson Foods, Inc., has been awarded the American Meat Institute’s (AMI) Edward C. Jones Community Service Award. The award was presented at AMI’s International Meat, Poultry & Seafood Convention & Exposition, October 24-27, 2007, in Chicago, Ill.

Taylor was recognized for his remarkable leadership in responding to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. While serving as complex manager over Tyson’s live poultry production in Forest, Mississippi, Taylor led efforts to get food, water and ice to people in need in the aftermath of the storm. He also helped mobilize a team of Tyson’s employees from inside and outside of Mississippi to cook for hungry people and organized assistance for poultry producers, many of whom experienced massive property damage and bird loss.

By the time government relief vehicles made it to Forest, they were waved on to help others since Tyson had already been providing assistance for several days. A few weeks later, after Hurricane Rita, Taylor also traveled to Texas to help with relief efforts there. Today he is complex manager of Tyson’s Shelbyville, Tennessee, poultry operation.

AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle said, “Under the most difficult circumstances, his quiet leadership touched and inspired many.”

The award is named in honor former AMI Board member, the late Edward C. Jones of Jones Dairy Farm, in Ft. Atkinson, Wisc., who was a model of community service.