The North American Meat Association (NAMA) and Executive Director Philip H. Kimball announced that he has stepped down after eight years of service to the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) and NAMA.

Kimball became NAMP’s Executive Director in 2007. When NAMP merged with the National Meat Association (NMA) in 2012, Kimball became NAMA’s Executive Director, working closely with CEO Barry Carpenter.

“It is rewarding to bring added value to this dynamic industry,” Kimball said, “and I look forward to continuing to make a contribution in a new capacity.”

At NAMP, Kimball advocated member interests on food safety issues at USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), especially on the E. coli issues facing further processors.

Under Kimball’s leadership, NAMP became widely recognized as being entrepreneurial in meeting the needs of the further processor sector of the industry. He helped break down the silos in the industry through strategic partnerships with other industry groups, trade publications, government agencies, and industry suppliers.

Kimball championed NAMP as an organization for meat processors in Canada and Mexico, as well as the U.S.

NAMP implemented a rigorous strategic planning process that increased membership, generated significant non-dues income, and fostered NAMP’s culture of members helping other members. Under Kimball’s leadership, NAMP earned the reputation as an industry leader in education, which included its E. coli/beef safety conference that Kimball started in his first year.

Kimball advocated harmonizing the wholesale meat specifications of Canada and the U.S. to facilitate trade, and made NAMP’s Meat Buyer’s Guide applicable in both countries. He expanded The Guide from one book in English to a product line of 12 items in Spanish as well as English.

At NAMA, Kimball helped facilitate the integration of NAMP and NMA. He was the staff leader on developing NAMA’s new insurance program, directed the programs of four committees, generated non-dues income, and headed NAMA’s recent outreach to the culinary sector. He oversaw production of the 8th edition of The Guide, which NAMA launched last month.

Kimball encouraged the meat trade associations and major companies in Mexico to adopt the Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) as the structure for Mexico.

Before NAMP, Kimball led several food trade associations. Previously, he was an associate staff member of the U.S. House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, and the agriculture legislative assistant to former U.S. Representative J. Kenneth Robinson, R-VA.