Back to all newsWhen our parents and grandparents were in the workplace, it was often common for them to spend their entire working career with the same company. Times have changed and we do not always see the same loyalty and dedication in the labor force. However, House of Raeford Farms continuously strives to create an environment that meets the needs of their associates and encourages longevity of employment.
The “proof is in the pudding” as the old saying goes. Currently the company has over 150 total employees that have been part of the House of Raeford family for 25 years or longer. They include people like Margaret Blackman who described her 49 years as an employee at our Rose Hill, NC processing location this way: “I love the people I work with each day. I always feel good getting up and coming to work.”
Margaret Blackman
Pete Stewart
Similar sentiments come from Pete Stewart, a Greenville, SC associate: “I started work at this plant over 40 years ago in 1981. The job has been very good to my family and me, and I have met a lot of good people along the way.” Elaine Crump who began with the company 38 years ago said this: “It’s close to home with wonderful benefits. This great company cares about its employees. Glad I am a person and not a number.”
There is something about recognizing associates for a job well done and providing fair compensation and good working conditions. Qualities like trust, a sense of community, good communication, an honorable company mission and culture, diversity, professional development opportunities, leadership, and caring are all part of why an employee stays with a company.
However, it is not just the responsibility of ownership and management to exhibit these behaviors. Employees must reciprocate in a like manner to create an environment of success for everyone. Daisy Barr, a 35-year production associate at the Hemingway, SC location says, “The best thing about this place are the people. They are competent, kind, and like to get things done.” Daisy also had some sage advice for the younger generation of associates: “Be on time, give your best performance, and most of all dress warm!”
Patsy Elmore
Patsy Elmore, Human Resources Manager at the West Columbia, SC complex, summed up her 41 years: “House of Raeford has given me the opportunity to learn and grow in a business that continues to expand. I love working for this company. It has been my home away from home.”
Finally, Bob Johnson, CEO and owner of House of Raeford describes his approach to our associates this way, “You know the company buildings are just brick and mortar. However, what really makes this company is the people. We know everyone working with us. They are our friends. We go to church with them and see them in the grocery store. That makes all the difference.”
House of Raeford Farms’ Associates – Service of 25 Years and More
Arcadia, Louisiana Complex
Sonya Allen – 25 – Evisceration
Christopher Amos – 25 – Packout L. P. Blackmon, Jr. – 25 – Maintenance
Gregory Byars – 25 – Thigh Room Janice Cato – 25 – Housekeeping
Terrance Coleman – 25 – Maintenance Janice Crow – 25 – Packout
William Foster – 25 – Quality Assurance Joe Frazier – 25 – Maintenance
Christa Gipson – 25 – Debone Mickey Hampton – 25 – Maintenance
Brian Isreal – 25 – Maintenance Sonja Jones – 25 – Shipping
Yoko Kindle – 25 – Receiving Delores Kinsey – 25 – Quality Assurance
Roderick Lewis – 25 – Quality Assurance Carolyn McGuire – 25 – Evisceration
Chiquita Moore – 25 – Packout Bertha Roberson – 25 – Housekeeping
Sharp Roberson – 25 – Packout Billie Rochell – 25 – IQF
Tremane Russell – 25 – Quality Assurance Margina Sneed – 25 – Packout
Mac Henry Walter – 25 – Maintenance
Billy Wimberly – 25 – Offal Aretha Bryant – 25 – Sales
Ethel Gipson – 25 – Evisceration Supervisor Timothy Murphy – 25 – Debone Supervisor
Jacqueline Roberson – 25 – Debone Supervisor Margie Skipper – 25 – Purchasing Manager
Meshell Willis – 25 – Thigh Room Supervisor Timmy Willis – 25 – Shipping Supervisor
*** House of Raeford acquired the Arcadia division in 2000. Personnel records from the previous owner are only available back to 1997.
Greenville, South Carolina Processing Plant
Pete Stewart – 41 – Scale House Jackie Jenkins – 32 – Packout
Patricia Martin – 32 – Box House Jacqueline Green – 31 – Wing Rounder
Kevin Livingston – 28 – Yard Manager Donald Martin – 25 – Shipping
Hemingway, South Carolina Further Processing Plant
Daisy Barr – 35 – Production Nick Mendiola – 34 – Production Manager
Valerie Hannah – 34 – Production Bettie Mack – 32 – Production
Laura Stone – 30 – Accounting Manager Rose Burgess – 28 – Production
Tammy Cooper – 28 – Production Carlos Pressley – 28 – Production
Lavonia, Georgia Live Production
Danny LeCroy – 44 – Animal Welfare Coordinator Elaine Crump – 38 – Human Res. /Safety Mgr.
Michael Certain – 33 – Pullet Serviceman Chad Mason – 28 – Breeder/Hatchery Manager
Nash Johnson & Sons’ Farms/Johnson Breeders – Rose Hill, North Carolina
Ronnie Pate – 48 – Maintenance Glenn Parker – 47 – Feed Mill Dispatch
David Brinson – 45 – Parts Runner
Lanny Batchelor – 41 – Return Feed Driver Willie Carter – 38 – Shavings Mill Manager
Felipe PIneda – 36 – Farm Labor Abbie Stancil – 35 – Human Resources Manager
Stevey George – 34 – Broiler Live Haul Alejo Ambrosio Martinez – 33 – Farm Labor
Donnie George – 33 – Broiler Live Haul Martin Arevalo – 33 – Shavings Mill
Michael Dixon – 33 – Serviceman Donna Wagnon – 32 – Grain Accounting Dept.
Moses Moore – 32 – Truck Wash Bay Steven Rackley – 31 – Hatchery Manager
Claudia Hernandez – 30 – Human Resources Margarito Morales – 30 – Serviceman
Tommy George – 30 – Broiler Live Haul Mgr. Jacinto Morales Mora – 29 – Farm Labor
Kim Rogers – 29 – Return Feed Driver Debra Bostic – 28 – Garage Clerk
Juan Bautista Medina – 28 – Feed Mill Panel Operator Cathy Hatcher – 26 – Accounts Payable
Anthony Guy – 26 – Feed Mill Maintenance J. Kevin Cole – 25 – Broiler Live Haul
James C. Brinson – 25 – Feed Delivery Driver Juana D. Martinez – 25 – Farm Labor
Michael Cavenaugh – 25 – Shop Foreman Randy Shotwell – 25 – Mechanic
Raeford Foods – Raeford, North Carolina
Kenny Starling – 35 – Sales
Rose Hill, North Carolina Processing Plant
Margaret Blackman – 49 – Box Room Emily Price – 48 – Quality Assurance
Louise Ingram – 47 – Evisceration Maggie Frederick – 46 – Chicken Paws Grader
Betty Carr – 44 – Box Room Cathy Morrisey – 44 – Chicken Paws Grader
Debbie Frederick – 38 – QA Supervisor Paul Herring – 35 – Sales
Ollie Faison – 37 – Box Room Lisa Matthews – 37 – Thigh Debone
Brenda Melvin – 37 – Quality Assurance Vanessa Love – 37 – Quality Assurance
Olive Bryant – 36 – Thigh Packing Tina Miller – 34 – Purchasing
Grace Carr – 33 – Box Room Dora Ray – 33 – Box Room
Annie Bennerman – 32 – Chicken Paws Grader Rabi Ortiz – 31 – Box Room
Shirley McKoy – 30 – Debone Packing Jessie Smith – 29 – Thigh Debone
Maria Arias – 28 – Evisceration Joan Aycock – 27 – Evisceration
Cristina Turcios Martinez – 27 – Evisceration Caesar Hicks – 27 – Receiving
Carlos Gutierrez Posada – 26 – Cut Up/Flex Line Vivian Diaz – 25 – QA Supervisor
Antonio Escobar – 25 – Box Room Nolvia Caseres – 25 – Evisceration
Maria Meza Turcios – 25 – Box Room Jose Guevara Mejia – 25 – Receiving
Lee Washington – 34 – Security Lahoma Jones – 33 – Accounting
Kimberly Batts – 32 – Accounting Joseph Teachey – 32 – Wastewater Mgr.
Joseph Hand – 32 – First Processing Mgr. Amado Rozalez – 31 – Shift Manager
Edwin Smith – 28 – Shift Manager Adrian Mejia – 26 – Spray Field
Wallace, North Carolina Processing Plant
Dave Wells – 40 – Sales Janeth Guillen – 27 – Accounting
Hilario Hernandez – 25 – Debone Manager
West Columbia, South Carolina Complex
Mary Barber – 48 – Maintenance Allan Fallaw – 41 – Live Production Grow Out
Patsy Elmore – 41 – Human Resources Manager Lorena Woods – 40 – Benefits
Jim Mabe – 38 – Complex Manager Cindy Williams – 37 – Sales
David Rush – 37 – Asst. Complex Manager Bernard Sackel – 34 – Maintenance
Dean Rankin – 34 – Live Haul Irlean Gamble – 33 – Maintenance
Connie Carpenter – 32 – Accounting William Colley – 32 – Sales
Charles Oree – 32 – Shift Manager Shirley Lawson – 31 – Evisceration
Gale Watson – 30 – Receptionist Gwendolyn Thompson – 28 – Quality Assurance
Erick Vanlue – 27 – Shipping Manager Patrick Dash – 27 – Packing
Mansfield Robinson – 26 – Maintenance Ray Keisler – 26 – Shipping
Jim Gregory – 25 – Controller
Corporate
Sandra Torrans – 49 – Credit Jeannie Rackley – 46 – Assistant Controller
Robert Johnson – 44 – CEO Jim Simmons – 42 – Sr. Operations Controller
Faye Carter – 40 – Administrative Assistant Norman Adkins – 39 – IT Technician
Tony Baker – 38 – Project Manager Betsy Brice – 34 – Acctg. Cash Management
Jerry Powell – 34 – IT Technician Ronald Cameron – 31 – Fab Shop Manager
Chan Windham – 27 – Director, Commodity Sales Michelle Rish – 25 – Asst. Operations Controller
Audrey Godwin – 25 – Credit Michelle Jones – 25 – Credit
Don Taber – 25 – President, Cooked Products Group