SALISBURY, MD. — Kevin McAdams has been named chief executive officer of Perdue Farms. He will succeed Randy Day, who is set to retire this summer. Mr. Day has been with Perdue Farms for more than 40 years, including the past six as CEO.

Mr. McAdams joined the company last summer as president of Perdue Foods and chief operating officer of Perdue Farms. He previously worked at Jack Link’s protein snacks, where he was president of North America. Earlier stops in his career included president of Schwan’s Consumer Brands and Pabst Brewing Co. He also worked in operating roles at Mizkan, Red Bull North America, The Coca-Cola Co. and Frito-Lay, Inc.

“I am honored to be succeeding Randy as CEO of Perdue Farms,” Mr. McAdams said. “Perdue boasts an unmatched, committed team of associates and strong network of family farmers who are integral to the company’s ability to produce high-quality products that are trusted and recognized by consumers and customers nationwide. I am excited to lead this company in its second century of success.”

Mr. McAdams received a bachelor’s degree in political science at Iowa State University.

Mr. Day is the fourth CEO in the company’s 103-year history and also served on the company’s board of directors. His career at Perdue Farms began in 1980, and he has held various positions of increasing responsibility at Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. In February 2015, he was named president of Perdue Foods, and in 2017 was named CEO of Perdue Farms.

“I have spent my entire adult career at Perdue, and I love this company,” Mr. Day said. “After 43 years, I would like to spend more time with my wife, our children, and our six (soon to be seven) wonderful grandchildren. I am looking forward to mentoring and transitioning Kevin over the next few months. We are confident that Kevin possesses qualities that align with our company’s values and vision to be the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. It has truly been an honor to lead Perdue Farms the past six years.”

In addition to his roles at Perdue Farms, Mr. Day has served on the board of directors of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, on the executive committee of the National Turkey Federation and the technical and regulatory committee of the National Chicken Council. He also was on the board of directors and executive committee for the National Chicken Council.

“Randy has been instrumental to some of our company’s biggest initiatives in both agribusiness and food production and will be instrumental in the CEO succession plan as well,” said Jim Perdue, chairman of Perdue Farms. “I am incredibly grateful to Randy for his more than 40 years of service at Perdue, especially for his leadership as CEO since 2017. His guidance was invaluable as we navigated the unprecedented and challenging COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”