Carbery Group has appointed Jason Hawkins as the new chief executive and a director of the company. He will take over from Dan MacSweeney when he retires after 25 years as CEO at the end of Dec. 2017. 
 
Originally from Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, Mr. Hawkins is currently chief operating officer with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), where he holds responsibility for the organization’s global ingredients business. DFA is a milk marketing co-operative and dairy food processor with substantial cheese, ingredients, and flavors businesses. 
 
Prior to joining DFA, Mr. Hawkins had a long and distinguished career with the Kerry Group. He joined Kerry Group’s Graduate Programme as an accountant in 1999 after graduating with a business degree from the Institute of Technology Tralee. The majority of his Kerry career has been spent in the U.S. in several leadership positions where he was responsible for the creation of the vision, strategy, and overall growth for several of Kerry’s businesses in North America. 
 
During his career with Kerry, including his most recent position as president of Beverages, Brands and Taste for North America, Mr. Hawkins successfully led and navigated the business to significant growth and profitability, obtaining, and expanding Kerry’s leadership position within key markets and channels. 
 
Commenting on his new role Mr. Hawkins said he was delighted with the opportunity to join Carbery Group and work with the four West Cork supplier co-ops. 
 
“I have, for a long time, admired Carbery as an organization and am very much looking forward to further developing the successful business which the excellent team at Carbery Group has built,” he said.
 
Peter Fleming, chairman of Carbery Group, said, “Jason’s background with Kerry’s global ingredients business combined with his experience at Dairy Farmers of America make him very well suited to build on the strong foundations that are in place at Carbery.I am confident that under his leadership the business will continue to grow and develop in the years ahead, delivering for the milk suppliers of West Cork.” 
 
Mr. Hawkins and his family are currently living in Kansas City but will be relocating to West Cork as he assumes his new role as Chief Executive at Carbery in the new year.