Women in Ag: Leading the Way at Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ Tyler, Texas Complex

At Wayne-Sanderson Farms, dedicated women are making their mark, leading with integrity, determination, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. During Women’s History Month, we are proud to spotlight some of the amazing Women in Ag who help make Wayne-Sanderson Farms a success.

A great example of this is at the company’s Tyler, Texas Complex, where Ashley Van Natta recently made company history as Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ first female Complex Manager, stepping into a role that oversees every aspect of live production, processing, and facility operations. Click here to read more about Ashley: https://wayne-sanderson.com/3DDqyny.

As Ashley has embraced this new challenge, she’s done so with the support of a dynamic leadership team, where half of the members are other accomplished female leaders, each bringing their unique strengths and expertise to the table. These leaders prove that women not only belong in agriculture, but they thrive in it.

Continuing our series on the Tyler Complex, we are proud to introduce Tierney Gregory, Quality Assurance Manager.

Tierney Gregory, Quality Assurance Manager

Tierney Gregory began her career with Wayne-Sanderson Farms in 2014 as a Beginning Trainee, contributing to the startup of the company’s Palestine, Texas complex. In 2016, her Division Manager nominated her to join a specialized team tasked with transitioning each complex to a new poultry inspection system. During this experience, Tierney was introduced to the Quality Assurance department and quickly realized it was an opportunity she wanted to pursue.

Through hard work, she quickly rose through the ranks, earning the role of Quality Assurance Manager in 2017. In this role, she ensures the Tyler complex meets all regulatory requirements set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). “My primary goal is to ensure that the products we produce are of high quality and meet customer specifications. This responsibility begins with the welfare of the chickens, and continues through every stage of production, ultimately ensuring that the finished, packaged product reaches the end users and consumers with the highest standards of quality.”

Working in quality assurance, Tierney takes pride in knowing her work directly supports the company’s mission of Making Chicken Amazing. “Every detail matters in my department,” she explains. “From establishing and enforcing quality standards, to identifying and mitigating risks—it’s these efforts that truly make chicken amazing.”

What Tierney values most about working at the Tyler complex is being part of a collaborative team that problem-solves and achieves goals together. “Growing in the industry, I was often told that this is not just a chicken business, but a people business. That statement still holds true for me today,” she says.

For Tierney, being a woman in ag means inspiring the next generation and paving the way for others who want to make an impact. “Being a woman in ag means breaking barriers, challenging norms, and embracing the opportunity to contribute to an industry that’s vital to feeding the world,” she states. “It’s empowering to know that my contributions help shape the future of agriculture, especially as we continue to innovate and address challenges related to food production, sustainability, and public health.”