LAUREL, Miss. — Sanderson Farms Inc. has announced its top management team for the company’s new Tyler, Texas, production division. This division of Sanderson Farms’ new poultry complex in Tyler will be responsible for live production operations.
Ashley Fontenot has been promoted to division manager after working within the company’s live production side of the business for more than 11 years. She began her career with Sanderson Farms in 2006 as a broiler supervisor at Sanderson Farms’ McCombie, Miss., production division.
She has held the positions of broiler manager, advanced trainee II and production manager. A graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., Fontenot earned a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree in animal science.
Other management team members include Chris Batte being named production manager. He will provide leadership in the management and administration of the Tyler, Texas production division.
In Batte’s 24-year tenure with Sanderson Farms, he has held various positions throughout the live production side of the business including pullet supervisor, breeder supervisor, hatchery superintendent, production manager, division manager and breeder-hatchery manager. A graduate of Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., Batte earned a bachelor of science degree in poultry science.
Stuart (Mike) Peoples has been named breeder-hatchery manager for the Tyler, Texas production division. Peoples will provide leadership and supervise the production of hatching eggs and chicks along with directing strategic operational plans for hatching eggs and chick production.
Since joining Sanderson Farms in 2012, Peoples has held the positions of beginning trainee, breeder flock supervisor and advanced trainee II. A graduate of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., Peoples earned a bachelor of science degree in agricultural business.
James (J.W.) Fosteris is the newly-named broiler manager. Foster began his career with Sanderson Farms in 2013 at the company’s Waco, Texas, production division.
He has held the positions of egg supervisor, broiler flock supervisor, breeder flock supervisor and advanced trainee. He is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in agribusiness.
