Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods has named Sherman L. Miller as president and CEO, effective immediately. He will succeed Dolph Baker as CEO.
Baker will retain his role as chairman of the board and as an executive officer of the company, and will remain involved in managing the company, with a focus on strategy, capital allocation, advising the senior management team and leading the board. This transition is consistent with the board’s succession planning process.
Commenting on the appointment, Baker stated, “Sherman has dedicated his entire career to Cal-Maine Foods and is extremely well qualified for this leadership position, having the right complement of operational experience and strategic vision. He has been a proven leader in managing our operations through the various market cycles that are characteristic of our industry,” Baker said.
“Under his leadership, the company has achieved tremendous growth, and he has the full confidence of the board that he is the right person to lead the company forward. Sherman is well-respected within the company, by our customers and throughout our industry. I look forward to our continued strong working relationship as we execute our growth strategy.”
Miller joined the company in 1996 and has served in various management positions during his 26-year tenure, most recently as president and COO. He was elected VP of operations in 2007, COO in 2011 and president in 2018. Prior to this, he served in management positions at various processing plant locations including Chase, Kansas; Delta, Utah; and Edwards, Mississippi.
Miller became a member of the Cal-Maine Foods board in 2012. He will remain interim COO until a successor is named. Miller is active in the egg industry and serves as a director of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and United Egg Producers, and past director of the American Feed Industry Association.
“I am proud and honored to assume this role with Cal-Maine Foods. Dolph has been a tremendous leader and mentor, and we will continue to benefit from his valuable insight and deep knowledge of the company,” Miller said.
“He has established Cal-Maine Foods as a leader in our industry, and we will continue to work together and build upon this proud legacy and history of success. Cal-Maine Foods has a proven business model with a favorable product mix, a strong focus on efficient and sustainable operations and a solid base of valued customers. With the support of our capable and experienced management team and an outstanding team of employees throughout our operations, I am excited about the opportunities ahead for Cal-Maine Foods.”
Cal-Maine Foods is engaged in the production, grading, packing, marketing and distribution of fresh shell eggs, including conventional, cage-free, organic, brown, free-range, pasture-raised and nutritionally enhanced eggs. The company is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the U.S. and sells the majority of its shell eggs in states across the southwestern, southeastern, midwestern and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.
For more information, visit calmainefoods.com.
