This Episode is Sponsored by: City National Bank

Consumer demand for chicken is rising at home and away from home, but how can a company leverage this demand? City National Bank's Eric Viergutz steps in as guest host and interviews Wayne-Sanderson Farms CFO T.J. Wolfe on how feed prices, pathogenic diseases, and even air fryers are impacting the U.S. poultry industry.

More About T.J. Wolfe:

T.J. Wolfe serves as Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ Chief Financial Officer, overseeing the company’s consolidated financial planning activities and information technology functions. His focus is on the efficient allocation of capital across the production infrastructure, risk mitigation strategies for the company’s commodity portfolio, and the advancement of digital technology platforms and capabilities. T.J. and his team partner with each of the company’s business units to provide financial insights and enhance the value offered to customers.

Joining the company as CFO in 2023, T.J. brings nearly 25 years of strategic, operational, and compliance experience in both the U.S. and Europe, having worked with large companies such as Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola. Prior to joining Wayne-Sanderson Farms, he served as CFO of Kimball International, Inc.

He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and earned his Master of Business Administration from Emory University. Additionally, T.J. holds several professional accreditations, including Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.

More About Eric Viergutz:

Eric Viergutz is a managing director with City National Bank’s Food & Beverage Group. Based in Atlanta, GA he supports food and beverage executives with a variety of financing solutions and industry intelligence. Working with City National’s team of experts, he provides the bank’s full range of financial solutions to food and beverage businesses nationwide.

Mr. Viergutz has more than 10 years of financial services and business advisory experience and has also served in various corporate finance and strategy roles over his career. Prior to City National, he served as senior vice president for Truist Securities’ Food and Beverage Investment Banking team.

Mr. Viergutz earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida and his MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Active in the community, he spends time coaching youth basketball and volunteering with Youth About Business and United Way of Atlanta.

More About City National Bank:

City National Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada since 2015. RBC’s Market Cap of $181 Billion is one of the Top 15 largest global banks with $1.7 trillion in assets and Moody’s/S&P Ratings of Aa1/AA-. As a subsidiary of one of the largest and strongest financial institutions in the world, City National Bank offers a unique combination of highly personalized services with a full range of tailored financing solutions. CNB’s Food & Beverage Group is a national vertical that supports owners and c-suite executives and is a proud sponsor of the Food Institute. Learn more at http://cnb.com/foodandbeverage.