Quality Pork Processors and Albert Lea Select Foods have announced that Kelly Wadding will retire from the position of president and CEO, effective July 10.

Nate Jansen will become the next president and CEO of both organizations upon Wadding’s retirement. Wadding will continue to be a partner in the business.

Mel Gilbertson will continue as vice president and chief operating officer over both companies and Ken Kay will continue as vice president and chief financial officer over both companies.

Wadding began his career in the pork processing industry in 1971 with Wilson Foods in Albert Lea, beginning a 45-year career in various leadership roles throughout the industry.

Wadding started at QPP in Austin in 1993 as general manager and bought the company in 1997 from founder Richard Knight. He has served as president and CEO for over 20 years. Under Wadding’s leadership QPP has grown from 900 employees to more than 1,300 employees. Wadding established Albert Lea Select Foods, located in Albert Lea, in July 2005 and has grown the company from 50 employees to over 500.

Jansen began his career with QPP in 1999 as the quality services manager and then in 2005 was promoted to the general manager at ALSF. In 2012 he transitioned to the role of vice president of human resources and quality services at both companies. He brings over 23 years of food processing experience with him.

“I am extremely proud and humbled to have been leading QPP and ALSF and for the tremendous growth we have experienced over the past decades,” Wadding said in a release. “It has been an honor to work so closely with the wonderful people at these organizations and I know they will be in good hands with Nate and the team in place.”

“I want to thank Kelly for his years of leadership and for this opportunity,” Jansen said in a press release. “QPP and ALSF will continue to be leaders in worker safety, animal care and food safety and develop best practices and new ideas that will continue to move the industry forward. We have the best management team and employees in the industry and I look forward to the future and our continued success.”

Quality Pork Processors, Inc. and Albert Lea Select Foods Inc. are privately-held fresh meat processing companies. QPP was founded in 1989 and is a custom pork processer that employs over 1,300 employees.

ALSF, founded in 2005, is a custom fresh meat processor with over 500 employees.