Source: http://www.poultryscience.org/awards2007.asp?autotry=true&ULnotkn=true

Kenneth N. May

Kenneth Nathaniel May was born in Livingston, Louisiana, to Robert William and Mary Hulda May. In 1953, he was married to Patsy Jean Farr of Baton Rouge. He is a graduate of Doyle High School and Louisiana State University, where he earned BS and MS degrees, both in poultry science, and Purdue University, where he earned a PhD in food technology in 1959. He served as assistant state poultry supervisor for the Louisiana State Department of Agriculture in 1954; as a research associate at Louisiana State University, 1955--1956; and as graduate assistant at Purdue University, 1956--1958. He became an assistant professor in the departments of Food Science and Poultry Science at the University of Georgia in 1958 and, over the next decade, progressed in these same departments to the rank of associate professor and then full professor. In 1968, he joined the faculty of the Poultry Science Department at Mississippi State University as a full professor, where he served through May 1970.

In June 1970, May joined Holly Farms Poultry Industries Inc. in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, as director of research and quality assurance. He was instrumental in Holly Farms' move to become the world's first company to market branded fresh packaged chicken to be sold in retail stores. In 1973, he became vice president of research and quality assurance. In 1985, he was named president and chief executive officer of the company, a position he retained until 1988, when he was elected chairman and chief executive officer.

Following his retirement from Holly Farms in 1989, May served as a consultant for the National Broiler Council, a trade organization for the poultry industry, until 2001. He also served as a board member and scientific advisor to Hudson Foods Inc. in Rogers, Arkansas, and as board member of Alcide Corporation, Redmond, Washington, and Embrex Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina.

In addition to his industry-related activities, he was also an adjunct professor of poultry science at North Carolina State University, Raleigh (1975--1985), a director of the National Broiler Council (1982--1989), a director of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation Inc. (1982--1983), and a member of the board of trustees of Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina (1987--1991), including one year as chairman.

During his career, he published over 60 scientific papers and won numerous research and industry service awards. Among these were the PSA Research Award in 1963, the Georgia Egg Commission Egg Award (1964), the Institute of American Poultry Industry Service Award (1971), and the North Carolina Agribusiness Council Governor's Award (1986). He was elected to the American Poultry Historical Society National Hall of Fame in 1992. He also served as president of PSA (1978--1979) and the Poultry Historical Society (1986--1987). In 1988, he was also awarded an honorary doctor of agriculture degree from Purdue University.