Engaging Leaders Podcast Welcomes Jim Perdue '00

Season 2, Episode 4: Past, Present, Future: Analyzing Multigenerational Leadership

“Being a strong leader is about being yourself and developing your own footsteps. If you want people to follow you, you need to take on a cause.” – Jim Perdue '00

This month, Eric Brotman ‘09 and guest host Memo Diriker ‘12 are joined by Jim Perdue ‘00, chairman of Perdue Farms, for a conversation about how Perdue Farms has navigated the pandemic, the different dynamics of family leadership, and the importance of diversity in decision-making. 

​
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

In this episode, we discuss:

• The pandemic’s impact on food production, distribution, and safety
• Jim’s personal leadership style in comparison to his father, Frank Perdue’s and his grandfather, Arthur W. Perdue’s —and how diversity among leadership aids the decision-making process
• The next chapter for Perdue and the process of preparing younger generations to lead
• How Perdue continues to keep employees across the nation well-informed, safe, and productive
• The importance of “taking on a cause” as a high-level leader

About our guest:
Jim Perdue has been the chairman and advertising spokesman of Perdue Farms since 1991. He is a third-generation leader of the company founded by his grandfather in 1920. In 1983, Jim Perdue accepted the invitation from his father, Frank Perdue, to return to the family business. Over the next eight years, he worked various plant management jobs and was then named vice president of quality improvement.
 
Under Jim’s leadership, Perdue has grown from an East-coast centered label of premium fresh chicken to a national roster of premium protein brands which includes chicken, turkey, pork, beef and lamb; in addition, Perdue Agribusiness went from a regional grain and oilseed business to a multi-faceted international player. His leadership guided Perdue to become a leader in workplace safety and associate health, including innovative wellness programs.
 
Jim’s commitment to earning consumer trust guided Perdue to becoming the first major poultry company to move all of its chicken to no-antibiotics-ever protocols. In 2016, Jim announced the company’s Commitments to Animal Care, a groundbreaking initiative that is transforming Perdue’s approach to raising chickens.
 
As Chairman, Jim is responsible for ensuring the company stays true to its vision and values and ensuring that the company continues to build on its strong corporate responsibility programs, especially continued leadership in elevating animal care and in strengthening relationships with farmers.
 
Jim received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Massachusetts at North Dartmouth, a doctorate in fisheries from the University of Washington Seattle, and his MBA from Salisbury University in Maryland. Jim is a member of Leadership Maryland’s class of 2000, he serves on the board of the National Chicken Council and the board of the Oyster Recovery Project, and he is extremely active in the local community.

---