Maple Leaf Foods announced that the board of directors has appointed Mr. Purdy Crawford non-executive chairman of the board effective June 22, 2011.
Prior to the passing of the company’s long serving chairman, Mr. G. Wallace F. McCain on May 13, 2011, Mr. Crawford was vice chairman and lead director. The appointment of Mr. Crawford to the chairmanship ensures continuity of leadership at the board.
Mr. Crawford, who will be retiring from the board by the company’s next annual meeting in April 2012, will serve as chairman until the annual meeting or such earlier time as determined by the board.
The board has appointed a committee composed of four independent directors with Dr. Chaviva M. Hošek as chair to review and make recommendations to the full Board on the position of chairman of the board on an ongoing basis.