GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Are you able to recall to mind any person who, by way of title by myself, brings a wealth of firsthand stories and tales, to not point out poultry trade promotion and affect?
You’ll if you happen to ever met Abit Massey. And if he ever met you, he by no means forgot you.
Abit Massey, 96, president emeritus of the Georgia Poultry Federation, passed on to the great beyond on June 14 following a short lived sickness. He in reality outlined the time period “legend” and was once well-respected and completed no longer best in his agricultural advocacy, but in addition in governmental family members and affiliation endeavors. Mr. Massey’s accolades are a lot of to each the state of Georgia and the country’s poultry trade and past.
It could take an enormous quantity to checklist all of Massey’s accolades and awards, however a not unusual theme from those that knew him is his dating and taking good care of folks, no longer simply within the trade global however in all walks of existence.
For an excessively temporary encapsulation of a few of his historical past – Massey graduated from the College of Georgia in 1949 from the School of Trade Management (now the Terry School of Trade). In 1960, he married his spouse of 64 years, Kayanne Shoffner. They’ve two youngsters, Lewis and Camille. The 12 months 1960 could also be essential to Massey’s historical past, as a result of it’s the 12 months he started paintings with the Georgia Poultry Federation. Over time, his name modified from government secretary to government director to president and to president emeritus following his 2009 “semi-retirement.” It was once in 2009 that Mike Giles, who joined the federation in 2000, assumed the position of GPF president.
“It’s no longer misplaced on me how blessed I used to be to paintings with Abit,” Giles stated. “I don’t suppose that you’ll be able to sum Abit up in a line or two. He had observed such a lot trade within the trade since 1960, and he was once a big a part of a large number of the ones adjustments. His awards and recognitions are essential sides of him, however the factor I stay going again to is the way in which he treated himself and the way in which he handled folks. He had a real hobby in others, without reference to their station in existence. He approached existence with humor and lightheartedness, and folks in reality favored that about him.”
“We spent a large number of time touring within the automotive in combination, and from time to time we might discuss paintings, and from time to time it was once politics, political historical past, and a large number of instances it was once about the newest film or what our households had been doing,” Giles added. “I can in reality cherish the ones instances.”
“Everybody additionally remarks about his reminiscence — and it was once fantastic,” he famous. “He may have in mind folks’s names and information about their households and issues they had been occupied with, and years may cross by way of, and he may recall all of those information about folks.”
Earlier than his paintings advocating for the poultry trade, Massey labored with what was once then referred to as the Georgia Trade Division.
“He’s identified for his paintings for the poultry trade, as a reputable lobbyist, however he’s additionally identified and a legend in different arenas, reminiscent of financial construction and tourism,” Giles stated. Right through his paintings with trade, he started what would transform the state’s first tourism division and his efforts resulted in the hole of Georgia’s first state tourism welcome heart on the Georgia-Florida line.
“Whilst you have a look at Georgia’s economic system, the most important section of the state’s economic system is agriculture, and the most important a part of this section is poultry,” Giles added. “And tourism is quantity two. So, throughout his lengthy occupation, Abit had a significant position to play in Georgia’s two greatest segments of commercial.”
Any other house that felt Massey’s affect was once within the paintings of business associations.
“Abit has been a lead position fashion on the right way to be an efficient business affiliation government,” Giles stated. “The scope of his affect throughout his occupation is astounding.”
In 1979, the Georgia Society of Affiliation Executives wanted to honor Massey in his paintings with business associations up till that point and he won the top honor of getting a lecture sequence named after him.
“I will believe on the time that they had been honoring Abit that the naming of this sequence will be the capstone of his lengthy and prominent occupation with business associations,” Giles added, “however little did they know he could be at this lecture sequence and introducing the speaker for the following 45 years.”
“There are such a lot of different issues to statement on — his towering intelligence, unquestioned ethics, many accomplishments, his altruism and neighborhood provider — however the love and laughs are what I can have in mind probably the most,” Giles stated. “I can be ceaselessly thankful for the affect that Abit had on my existence.”
In an editorial within the June 19 factor of The Occasions in Gainesville, Ga., Kayanne Massey, remarked about her husband, “We had been so lucky to have him in our lives for such a lot of years. We felt that being a father, grandfather and husband at all times got here first for him.”
There are such a lot of folks that Massey impacted, influenced, and assisted over the years, and a few of them are sharing some remembrances on this memorial article. We will be able to wreck it down into other segments and let the ones concerned with operating with Mr. Massey percentage their ideas and recollections. We consider you will need to for all of those people all the way through a number of other fields to percentage their remembrances for a person that has been referred to as, “the dean of poultry.”
Universities
A virtually life-long recommend of the College of Georgia, Massey was once specifically commemorated with a study room named in his honor on the unveiling of the UGA Division of Poultry Science’s new development on campus in Athens, Ga., closing October. His involvement with universities and training was once a ways attaining.
Jere W. Morehead, president of the College of Georgia, in a remark despatched to Poultry Occasions, remarked that, “Abit Massey will likely be remembered fondly by way of all people on the College of Georgia as certainly one of this establishment’s maximum completed alumni and certainly one of its most efficient champions.”
“He performed a central position in UGA’s sturdy dating with the poultry trade for over 60 years, however his unusual legacy of provider and management extends well past agriculture to each side of our college,” Morehead added. “The affect of his contributions will likely be felt for generations, and prefer such a lot of within the UGA neighborhood, I can omit him dearly.”
Dr. Todd Applegate, UGA Division of Poultry Science division head, assistant dean for Global Systems, and R. Harold and Patsy Harrison Chair in Poultry Science, stated, “We’re ever thankful for Abit’s advocacy for the wider UGA neighborhood, and particularly for his willpower to our Poultry Science Division’s scholars, college, and analysis and Extension methods. He had a unbroken knack for development neighborhood with people from various organizations; in the end strengthening us all. He’ll in reality be ignored.”
Amongst his many honors with UGA, Massey was once inducted into the college’s School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Georgia Agricultural Corridor of Popularity in 1996.
It’s famous that with one thing so simple as a telephone name, Massey helped release what would transform the Agricultural Generation Analysis program with the Georgia Tech Analysis Institute.
In a remark from the ATRP workforce, it notes that they, “will dearly omit our program champion and president emeritus of the Georgia Poultry Federation, Mr. Abit Massey. He was once instrumental in ATRP’s founding in 1973 and has remained its maximum enthusiastic and dedicated supporter for over 50 years by way of representing this system on the State Capitol and attending numerous ATRP Advisory Committee conferences the place he helped to lead this system’s analysis time table fascinated about trade priorities.
“ATRP will proceed to honor his contributions to ATRP during the Abit Massey Scholar Internship Program, and the F. Abit Massey Champion Award, which was once established closing 12 months at our fiftieth Anniversary Party. We will be able to omit his ever-present smile and type phrases of encouragement. Our heartfelt condolences are presented to the Massey circle of relatives.”
Dr. Doug Britton, ATRP program supervisor and senior analysis engineer, stated, “Mr. Massey was once at all times the primary to serve others with a real care and love. On numerous events he graciously leveraged his connections and affect for the actual good thing about others. I’m in particular grateful for the mentorship and reinforce that he prolonged to me for my part early on in my tenure each as a tender researcher after which because the ATRP program supervisor.”
“I admire his true and authentic friendship; the trouble he made to get to grasp the entire folks in this system, and lasting affect of those relationships,” Britton added. “I can omit his spontaneous calls, texts, interactions, introductions, humorous anecdotes, nice ancient quotes, insights, tips, encouragement, thoughtfulness, kindness, being concerned, and love. He was once one-of-a-kind; a in reality very particular particular person; an actual a modern day gentleman!”
Dr. Linda Purvis, affiliate professor of biology and poultry science on the College of North Georgia, stated, “I’ve identified Abit just about my whole existence. He was once a type, supportive and true southern gentleman. From my more youthful days in 4H poultry judging and DPA festival to beginning my occupation on the Georgia Poultry Lab, he was once at all times so encouraging to me.”
“After I began my occupation in training and labored to revitalize the poultry program at UNG, he was once extremely supportive and at all times prepared to assist in anyway he may,” Purvis added. “Considered one of my favourite recollections was once consuming lunch with him sooner or later in Gainesville and any person stopped to mention hi and requested if I used to be his granddaughter. The only factor I can at all times have in mind about Abit was once his skill to by no means omit a reputation and his smile that was once completely contagious.”
Governmental family members
His affiliation paintings introduced Mr. Massey in combination in shut operating relationships with many elected officers.
“Abit Massey was once a real power and a well known persona all the way through all the state whose title is synonymous with Georgia’s thriving poultry trade,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp stated in a remark. “His affect at the Peach State and our primary sector of agriculture is unprecedented and will likely be felt for generations to come back. Marty, the ladies, and I are in reality saddened to listen to of his passing and ask all Georgians to enroll in us in praying for the circle of relatives of this nice guy, this Rattling Excellent Dawg, and this mythical Georgian, particularly his spouse Kayanne who he was once luckily wedded to for over part a century.”
“We will be able to omit his welcome presence within the halls of the Capitol and maximum of all his friendship,” Kemp added. “Might his reminiscence proceed to encourage the state that he beloved such a lot for years yet to come.”
Tyler Harper, Georgia’s commissioner of agriculture, additionally stated in a remark, “Abit Massey was once an icon of our state, a titan of agriculture, and a pioneer of our poultry trade. For over 50 years, he performed a vital part in Georgia’s enlargement, good fortune, innovation, and public provider. However possibly extra importantly — he was once a loyal circle of relatives guy, by no means met a stranger, and was once a real buddy to such a lot of throughout our state.”
“Right through my time as State Senator and now Agriculture Commissioner, Mr. Abit was once at all times encouraging, at all times prepared to face with you within the battle for what’s easiest for agriculture, and it’s going to at all times be an honor to have identified him and referred to as him a pal,” Harper added. “We will be able to dearly omit Mr. Abit’s knowledge, friendship, and management for our state’s agriculture trade, however his legend and reminiscence will continue to exist with us for lots of, many years yet to come.”
Associations, firms and extra
There are lots of who labored at once with Mr. Massey during the GPF, and different state and nationwide associations and corporate affiliations that fondly recall his paintings ethic and friendship.
“You must write a guide about all the honors, the entire awards, the entire management efforts that came about in Abit’s existence that he introduced and won, nevertheless it was once in reality Abit the individual that made the adaptation,” Elton Maddox, retired president and CEO of Wayne Farms, and a former GPF chairman, stated. “It wasn’t the accolades, Abit will have been a large number of various things in existence, however he selected to in reality serve folks.”
“And no longer best simply the poultry trade however in taking good care of the entire folks that he met,” stated Maddox, who had a detailed operating dating with Massey for greater than 45 years. “Abit was once one of these sturdy believer in Jesus Christ. Numerous folks discuss imitating Jesus, however I consider that Abit exhibited Jesus within the existence that he led and the existence that he went about — you at all times noticed the smile, you at all times noticed the serving to hand, you at all times noticed the serving angle in the whole thing that he did. And it didn’t subject who, their standing in existence, their skill in existence, it was once towards everyone. He was once a outstanding particular person.”
Nath Morris, president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Affiliation, stated, “We won the sorrowful information about Abit’s passing closing Friday night time (June 14) as we had been having dinner at our USPOULTRY board assembly in Costa Rica. At our remaining trade assembly on Saturday (June 15), we knowledgeable our Board of Administrators. Tears had been shed, tales had been informed, and accolades had been raised about Abit’s lasting contributions to our trade and neighborhood. His reinforce and steering of our affiliation and different state poultry executives helped construct a forged reinforce fashion enabling all to reach good fortune. The development of as of late’s poultry trade can also be at once attributed to Abit’s management and willpower, that have left a legacy that can closing ceaselessly.”
Amongst Massey’s honors with USPOULTRY come with him being awarded the 2012 Harold E. Ford Lifetime Success Award.
“EVERYBODY knew and had without equal admire for Abit, and ABIT knew everyone; their title, members of the family, name and paintings historical past,” Morris added. “It’s suitable to mention Abit no longer best had the reminiscence of an elephant, it was once surely a ‘Pink’ elephant as exemplified by way of his allegiance and reinforce to Gainesville Prime College. He was once an envoy for the poultry trade and may get a hold of archived pictures of ancient occasions and pioneers of the poultry trade and percentage those with trade pals with an connected word of sharing a reminiscence.”
Dr. Louise Dufour-Zavala, government director of the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Community and the Georgia Poultry Growth Affiliation, stated, “His vast heat smile, authentic taking good care of the GPLN (and in addition for all the Zavala extended family), comfortable demeanor, deep wisdom of coverage and our trade, superb reminiscence, and get-it-done angle will stick with me ceaselessly. What an enormous you had been and can at all times be, Abit!”
And for many who won’t know, the street that leads you to the GPLN headquarters facility in Gainesville, Ga., is Abit Massey Manner.
“Abit Massey was once a very much admired position fashion in our trade, embodying the quintessential southern gentleman — at all times heat and personable to everybody lucky sufficient to grasp him,” Greg Tyler, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council president and CEO, stated. “I held him within the absolute best esteem and deeply worth his contributions to USAPEEC and the poultry trade as an entire.”
“To mention Abit was once a person of integrity, persona and kindness is a real understatement. He knew everybody’s title, and everybody knew his. He was once the type of particular person that once talking to him in a room of 200 folks, he made you’re feeling like the one one there,” stated Gary Kushner, meantime president of the Nationwide Rooster Council. “His paintings helped to position Georgia’s poultry trade at the map, development the basis for its nationwide prominence as of late. He was once a titan of the trade and can in reality be ignored. Our ideas and prayers are with Kayanne and the circle of relatives.”
“I met Abit when I used to be a tender plant supervisor with Fieldale Farms. Infrequently, he would deliver faculty scholars to our plant for excursions. Since that point, a number of years had handed since earlier than I had began seeing or operating with him once more, and he remembered the whole thing about me. He didn’t omit my title and my historical past. Abit was once a gentleman, a pal, a trailblazer and a pioneer in our trade,” stated Blake Wikle, S4 Sanitation, and present GPF chairman.
“His reminiscence was once higher than any guy that I had ever met, and he had an excessively honest love and appreciation for other folks,” Wikle added. “He was once above reproach in each way of his existence. There’s no longer sufficient form phrases I will say about his mentorship, management, and style. He’s going to be ignored by way of hundreds of folks. After I came upon he was once in reality in poor health, I reached out to him right away to let him know that I beloved him and that I used to be praying for him. He knew that I had not too long ago skilled super loss myself and he was once extra concerned with my well-being in his quick reaction.”
Cece Corbin, president and CEO of the Nationwide Protein and Meals Vendors Affiliation, stated, “Abit was once an important guy. Many people had been blessed to grasp him and all people had been enriched by way of his paintings and existence. Abit was once the recipient of NPFDA’s Lifetime Success Award in 2001, becoming a member of an exemplary checklist of trade leaders.”
“Individually, Abit touched my existence in some ways, particularly when his endorsement of me to the then NPFDA officials assisted in securing my present place with the affiliation,” Corbin added. “NPFDA’s gratitude for Abit’s existence and legacy can’t be overstated. On behalf of the club, prayers are prolonged to Abit’s circle of relatives — particularly Pass over Kayanne, Camille, and Lewis.”
Wendy W. Kavanagh, president of the Georgia Society of Affiliation Executives (GSAE), of which Massey has been concerned with for many years, and who has a lecture sequence named in his honor, famous his seeming ease of skill to create unique conversion and with energetic listening.
“It takes follow and a focus to concentrate on any person else’s phrases and create a rapport,” Kavanagh famous. “Mr. Abit’s secrets and techniques to his good fortune are his personal, however we’ve all benefitted from the light of his consideration and thoughtfulness throughout a short lived or long dialog.”
She provides that Massey was once a fashion for efficient advocacy. “It’s well known that Mr. Abit and Mike advertise and recommend for the poultry trade, however for associations, Mr. Abit stands head and shoulders in our historical past for self-determination referring to our tradeshow source of revenue,” Kavanagh added. “As a result of his efforts, our revenues can cross proper again into our staff construction efforts. He is without doubt one of the causes the affiliation neighborhood can teach and upskill over 9.7 million American citizens each unmarried 12 months.”
Giles additionally famous that particularly amongst younger folks starting careers in affiliation paintings, Massey was once regarded as a rock big name. Mary Wheatley, CEO on the Nationwide Scleroderma Basis, as a tender government a couple of years again began an X (previously Twitter) account devoted to certainly one of Mr. Massey’s maximum recognizable options — his hair. The account @AbitsHair remains to be energetic (and, as an apart, if you happen to haven’t observed it, it’s fairly just right).
In certainly one of her “courses from a existence effectively lived,” referring to Mr. Massey, Wheatley, famous that he at all times “confirmed up.”
“Whether or not to the state capitol, a Rotary luncheon, Sunday faculty or the GSAE Annual Assembly, Mr. Abit was once there and he was once gift. He labored the room and made actual connections with the folk there. He left everybody feeling particular. He confirmed up early and stayed overdue,” Wheatley famous. “Mr. Abit additionally had a depraved humorousness, and he at all times stored it actual. He was once at all times well-dressed along with his hair on level, however he wasn’t fancy. He beloved Waffle Space, and he at all times had a hen shaggy dog story on the in a position. He remembered your inside of jokes, and not ignored the chance to make a well-natured jab.”
Poultry Occasions
Mr. Massey was once a normal contributor to the Poultry Occasions. The mag at the beginning were given its get started by way of the Georgia Poultry Federation in 1954, six years earlier than Massey’s tenure with the federation.
We’re commemorated to have those closing phrases about Mr. Massey; alternatively, they’ll be a ways from the closing phrases ever written about him.
“Abit Massey was once a real southern gentleman,” Cindy Wellborn, Poultry Occasions common supervisor, stated. “He considered everyone else first. He left an amazing legacy, and while you take into accounts poultry in Georgia, you take into accounts Abit.”
“My first enjoy with Abit Massey was once earlier than I ever began paintings with Poultry Occasions,” stated David Strickland, Poultry Occasions editor. “I used to be a contemporary graduate of the College of Georgia and dealing on my first assignments as a tender reporter for The Occasions in Gainesville, Ga. Mr. Massey temporarily latched onto my being a UGA grad. A number of instances throughout our interviews, he would word to others that I used to be a ‘just right Georgia boy, doing a just right process.’ Neatly, Mr. Massey, I at all times thanked you for that vote of self assurance, and I can proceed to attempt to be a just right Georgia boy, doing a just right process.”
Everybody I spoke with famous that they may have endured with many, many extra tales in their time with Abit Massey. His reminiscence and affect will in reality proceed ahead for a very long time to come back.