AMES, Iowa — The Egg Industry Center recently announced that Dr. Michael Persia will serve as its new director, starting June 1, 2026. Until then, Brett Ramirez, associate professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering and EIC associate director, will continue to serve as interim director. Ramirez took on the role of interim director in February 2024 after the passing of former EIC director Richard Gates, the EIC mentioned in the announcement.
“I am honored by this opportunity to pursue one of my professional passions of facilitating and engaging in research supporting the efficient production of safe and high-value eggs for human consumption,” Persia said. “I am overjoyed to work with former and new colleagues at Iowa State University and the egg industry to support and expand the goals of Egg Industry Center, a unique organization that focuses on research and education within the production and use of this high-quality food by facilitating collaboration among academic, government, and industry persons.”
Currently, Persia is the John W. Hancock professor at the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech. At the school, his research focuses on increasing the efficiency of chicken and turkey production through enhanced nutrient management and a better understanding of their digestive processes, the EIC said.
Some of the highlights of his work include developing ways to reduce antibiotic use in poultry feed and updating poultry nutrient requirements.
In 2022, Persia earned the Poultry Nutrition Research Award from the American Feed Industry Association in honor of his important research.
Before starting with Virginia Tech in 2013, he was an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State, and he also worked at Syngenta Animal Nutrition. He earned his academic credentials from The Pennsylvania State University, The Ohio State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the EIC added.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Persia back to Iowa State and to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” Daniel J. Robinson, holder of Iowa State’s Endowed Dean’s Chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Science, said. “His expertise in poultry nutrition and management, networks throughout the industry and many years doing research, teaching and extension in the animal and poultry sciences fields will serve him well in this role. This will include key work with the board of the EIC and its many stakeholders and cooperators across the US and Canada, reflecting its role as a global center located at Iowa State, but serving the industry broadly.
“We are so grateful for Dr. Ramirez’s outstanding leadership during this interim period and the tremendous ways he has continued to move the EIC forward in supporting the nation’s egg producers and our university missions. Many thanks, as well, to the search committee, led by Jason Ross, for their work on this important effort,” Robinson continued.
“We’re very pleased that Dr. Persia will join our program at Iowa State University to continue our service and commitment to the poultry industry,” Jason Ross, chair of the Iowa State’s Department of Animal Science and chair of the EIC director search committee, said. “His experiences and leadership in the industry, coupled to his connection with the U.S. poultry industry, will provide excellent capacity as he leads the Egg Industry Center in pursuit of its mission.”
In addition to his time with Virginia Tech and Iowa State University, Persia is a member of the Poultry Science Association, Southern Poultry Science Society, World Poultry Science Society, Virginia Poultry Federation, Virginia Egg Council, and Virginia Poultry Disease Task Force, the EIC added.
“On behalf of the Egg Industry Center Advisory Board, we would like to commend the selection committee’s rigorous and thorough process in selecting the new director, Dr. Persia,” Jeffry L. Henning, current EIC board chairman, said. “Dr. Persia offered his insight into the future of EIC and skillfully laid out his plan to reach out to all the local and national constituents to further EIC’s collaboration with them.”
