OAKWOOD, GA. — Kevin McDaniel will become president and chief executive officer of poultry processor Wayne-Sanderson Farms on April 1, 2025. He will succeed Clint Rivers, who is scheduled to retire on March 31.

“I am honored that the board has selected me to succeed Clint as president and chief executive officer and want to thank him for his years of outstanding service to Wayne-Sanderson Farms,” McDaniel said. “I am excited for the bright future ahead for our organization, as we strive to achieve our vision of being the amazing poultry company, recognized as the partner of choice by our customers, coworkers, farmers and communities.”

Rivers will continue work as executive chairman of the board for Wayne-Sanderson Farms through the 2026 fiscal year.

McDaniel currently is chief operating officer for Wayne-Sanderson Farms. Before the promotion to COO in 2021, he worked as senior director of fresh operations and vice president and general manager of the fresh business unit at the company.

Following the merger of Wayne Farms and Sanderson Farms in 2022, Rivers played a key role in guiding the newly created company, which became the third-largest poultry processor in the United States.

He first joined Wayne Farms in 2012 as vice president and general manager of the fresh business unit. Afterwards, Rivers was the COO in 2014, president and CEO in 2017, and board chairman in 2018.

Wayne-Sanderson Farms employs 26,000 and owns and operates 23 processing plants in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.