Women's History Month Spotlight" Meet Latoya Edwards, talent acquisition manager at Butterball, LLC.

March is Women's History Month, a month in which we commemorate and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Throughout the month of March, Butterball would like to highlight women in our own company who make a difference in the lives of others and our company daily. Our appreciation is not limited to the month of March nor is it limited to the women in which we highlight; we appreciate all women at Butterball and wish them a Happy Women's History Month!??

This week, we would like to introduce you to Latoya Edwards, Talent Acquisition Manager at Butterball. We connected with Latoya to learn more about her background, her accomplishments, who the most influential women are in her career, and more!

Q&A?

Question: Which contributions of yours to Butterball are you most proud of???

Latoya:?I've had the pleasure of being a huge part of the redefining of how recruitment is done at Butterball, specifically in the hourly recruitment space.? During my time with the company, I have been able to establish a vast community network that is still being utilized for recruitment within the local community. I have been instrumental in advocating for additional recruitment resources such as Indeed and Text-Em-All. I have also established a partnership with local county Reentry Programs in NC to help reentry citizens secure stable employment opportunities. In 2021 I was recognized by the N.E.W Reentry Council as a Second Chance Award recipient for my work in promoting opportunities for the second chance community. Next month, I will be speaking at the Reentry Conference in Charlotte, NC as a keynote speaker.

How has Butterball supported you in your career??

I’ve been in Talent Acquisition for over 18 years and Butterball has been the most supportive company I’ve ever had the pleasure to work for. My ideas are listened to, and my opinions are valued. I’ve always been made to feel appreciated for all my efforts to make Butterball the employer of choice.

What has your experience been being a woman in the poultry industry??

Being a woman within this industry has been a powerful experience. I’ve recruited for many different industries in the past but this by far has been the most rewarding. I started my career with Butterball in July of 2019 and within a few months the entire world changed due to the pandemic. However, we as a company in the poultry industry had to keep going to “Keep turkey on the table”. It required me to come up with some innovative recruiting ideas, such as drive-thru job fairs in order to keep the Mt. Olive plant staffed so we could continue to feed the world during such a tough time for many. It gave me a different sense of pride to be a part of such a significant company.

What advice would you give to young women considering entering this industry??

I would advise young women considering entering this industry to go for it. Don’t be afraid of trying something new. It has been the most rewarding career experience of my life. The culture we have here at Butterball is unlike most other places. It’s welcoming, inclusive, and you can advance your career in so many positive ways.

??Who has been the most influential woman/women in your career? Why??

?I would say the most influential women in my life would be my mother and grandmothers. I’ve had the privilege of being surrounded by strong women my entire life. They taught me at an early age the value of hard work and to go after my dreams relentlessly. I had the pleasure of watching them in awe, while they worked hard to ensure the next generation of women in our family could have better opportunities than the generation before.

?Latoya, we are extremely grateful that you decided to join the team; our company is a better place because of your leadership, your passion around recruitment, and your ability to drive initiatives forward. We are looking forward to seeing all you will accomplish in the talent acquisition space for years to come. #WomensHistoryMonth2023 ?