Was third generation in his family to lead the company
Steven Bresky, 67, CEO and chairman of Seaboard Corp., died July 10, 2020.
Bresky was born on April 2, 1953, to Suzy and Harry Bresky in Boston. He received his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Boston University. He moved with his family to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1977.
Bresky began his career with Seaboard Corp., a multinational agribusiness and transportation conglomerate, in 1979, as part of the company’s commodity merchandising and storage division. In 1986, he transferred to Bermuda as president on Seaboard Overseas. In 1989, he became the company’s corporate vice president; he became senior vice president in 2001 and was named president and CEO in 2006 to succeed his father upon his retirement. He was the third generation Bresky to lead Seaboard in its 102-year history. Seaboard’s Board of Directors expects to name a successor president/CEO in the near future.
“Steve led and grew the company substantially to where Seaboard is today,” the company said in a statement. “His exceptional work ethic, long-term commitment to Seaboard’s partners and businesses, mandate that the company produce quality products, and unwavering desire to always do the right thing were integral to the company’s success and made him truly one of a kind. He built and nurtured an able and long-tenured management team.”
According to WATTAgNet.com’s Top Companies database, Seaboard Corp. owns major turkey producer Butterball LLC and major pork producer Seaboard Foods, and has a milling division producing animal feed in 11 countries. Seaboard Corp. holds a 40% stake in Columbia-based Cipa, with three feed mills and nearly 100,000 metric tons annual capacity.
Bresky is survived by his wife, Ellen; and two children, Jack and Elizabeth, who are also employees of Seaboard.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 14 at 10 a.m. at Mount Moriah Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. Services will be live streamed at mtmoriah.net.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Center for Practical Bioethics, 1111 Main Street, Suite 500, Kansas City, MO 64015, or Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, 1500 Meadow Lake Pkwy, Suite 200, Kansas City, MO 64114.
