Pro Food Systems a "Champ' in Holts Summit

Champs Chicken provider holds grand opening of new distribution center to local, state fanfare

Holts Summit City Administrator Brian Crane, right, presents Pro Food Systems CEO Shawn Burcham with a proclamation declaring Nov. 19 "Champs Chicken Day." City and state officials were among many helping the firm celebrate its $6 million expansion, which will create 43 new jobs over three years.
Holts Summit City Administrator Brian Crane, right, presents Pro Food Systems CEO Shawn Burcham with a proclamation declaring Nov. 19 "Champs Chicken Day." City and state officials were among many helping the firm celebrate its $6 million expansion, which will create 43 new jobs over three years.

A Holts Summit company on Tuesday celebrated a multi-million dollar expansion expected to add more than 40 jobs to the local economy.

Pro Food Systems, Inc. (PFS), a whole sale distributor primarily known for its Champs Chicken brand of foods sold in stores in Callaway County and throughout the country, held the grand opening of its new $6 million distribution center and corporate headquarters with a tour, reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.

After drinks and mingling, Pro Food C.E.O. Shawn Burcham addressed a crowd that included employees, city and state officials, partners and backers in the nearly 65,000-square-foot facility's warehouse.

"It's great to do work with a company on a handshake - we do what we say we're going to do," Burcham said. "I do my best to surround myself with good people with a common values and beliefs, and I have the pleasure to come to work with people who work hard and enjoy being around one another."

An open house reception followed the speeches and ribbon-cutting ceremony, with guests touring the facility to see its break room, employee workout area, office spaces and demonstration kitchen where they sampled Champs menu fare.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.