Tom Super, who led PR and communications for the meatpacking industry, has moved to the National Chicken Council as VP of communications, following the exit of 13-year veteran Richard Lobb.
Lobb stepped down as the Council's chief spokesman in October after 13 years after the installation of new Council chairman Lampkin Butts, president and COO of Sanderson Farms.
Super exits the American Meat Institute as VP of public affairs after three-plus years planning communications, including media relations and social media, around the industry's legislative and regulatory priorities. He also led its National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Janet Riley is senior VP/PA for the AMI.
The Chicken Council's members account for 95 percent of the chickens produced in U.S.
The group took a PR hit in July when the Pew Charitable Trusts accused chicken producers ("Big Chicken") of polluting U.S. waterways as the industry has become more consolidated geographically in the Chesapeake Bay region. Chicken consumption has more than doubled since 1970, according to Pew.
The Council blasted the report, noting Pew's "well-known antipathy towards poultry farmers."
Super was previously at Greener and Hook, a D.C. PR shop, and started out as a Hill press aide for Sen. John Warner (R-Va.).