okPORK is pleased to introduce four new board members. They were elected to the board at Oklahoma Pork Congress on June 29. We are excited to have them on the board and hope you’ll say “howdy” to them when you see them at the next okPORK event.

Jesse Donaldson

Jesse Donaldson works for the HANOR Company out of Enid, Okla. His job, Purchasing Coordinator, involves procuring the ingredients that goes into the feed that nourishes HANOR pigs.

Donaldson decided to run for the okPORK Board because he wants to make a difference in the swine business and all of production agriculture. He says we have a great story to tell about our value to society and the U.S. and world economies.

As a board member, Donaldson hopes to be a good steward of the producers’ money for the promotion of pork in Oklahoma. He also wants to increase the public’s awareness of what pork producers do every day.

Donaldson, his wife, Lisa, and their ten-year-old daughter, Jenna, are also involved in the cattle business. He enjoys making horsehair jewelry, showing livestock, raising purebred cattle and developing their ranch and livestock judging activities. Donaldson is a great supporter of 4-H and FFA. He believes educating the public begins with supporting these youth activities.

Donaldson is also Pork Quality Assurance certified and serves on the Garfield County Conservation District and is a member of The American Feed Industry Association, and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.

John Hardaway

John Hardaway is the Production Manager for Seaboard Food’s production cell 1. This means he has 45,000 nursery pigs, 48,000 finisher hogs, 40,000 replacement gilts, and 48 team members under his supervision.

Hardaway decided to run for the okPORK board because it’s an opportunity for him to give back to the industry he’s worked in for more than 40 years. As a board member, Hardaway hopes to bring value to the okPORK membership. He also wants to help promote and represent the pork industry in a positive way.

Hardaway was raised on his family’s farm in Kentucky. He received an Agriculture Economics degree from the University of Kentucky and then went to work for PIC and later Seaboard. He started his pork industry career as head of a farrowing department at a 500-head board multiplier for PIC. Through this career he and his family have lived in many states and Hardaway has enjoyed his travels and the opportunity to meet with industry leaders.

Hardaway and his wife, Delena, have three grown children. They enjoy spending time with their grandkids, gardening, and traveling. John also enjoys reading history books.

Angie Johnson

Angie Johnson is owner and treasurer of Ban-Mar Farms, Inc., a 2,500-sow farm that contracts with Tyson. As treasurer, she handles all the finances for the farm and is heavily involved in the decision making about the farm. A production partner manages the farm on a daily basis.

Johnson ran for the okPORK board because she wants to stay up to date on what’s going on in the industry. She also wants to share her perspective as a contract producer. She is also involved in banking and wants to offer valuable knowledge she’s has from the financial industry.

Johnson is Community President for the First United Bank of Wewoka and is member of the Wewoka Rotary Club, serves on the board of the Wewoka Chamber of Commerce, and is the treasurer of the okPORK Board.

Johnson and her husband, Darran, have three grown children. She loves her role as “NaeNae” and spending time with her four grandchildren. She also loves cooking (entertaining in her home is her favorite), karaoke (she says she has zero talent, but lots of nerve), Sooner Football (she admits to loving the tailgating and only liking the game) and decorating (Cowboy fans will have to forgive her for using lots of crimson and cream and skipping all orange hues).

Robert Peffley

Robert Peffley is from Seminole, Oklahoma where we works as a Pod Business Manager for Tyson Foods. As a Pod Business Manager, Robert is responsible for all aspects of business within a specific production system which includes production of a high quality product at the various levels of the production system in a timely manner while maintaining a safe work place and clean environment. Specific duties include producing cost savings ideas, generation of CIRs, an active role in creating the annual budget and detailed interaction with technical services concerning the genetic pyramid. He also provides leadership to team members, manages spending/budgeting, ensures the safety of all farm team members, oversees the biosecurity of the unit and farm and all environmental issues including pit and lagoon level compliance, water quality, air quality and waste removal.

As a board member Robert hopes to help make a positive difference in the swine industry.