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Recognizing a Legacy of Innovation, Leadership, and Service to the Turkey Industry
Few individuals in the allied poultry industry have had an impact as wide-ranging as Dr. Gorica Rajcic-Spasojevic. Over a career spanning more than 35 years, she has shaped how turkeys are hatched, raised, and cared for—bringing deep scientific knowledge, operational excellence, and a steady leadership presence to every role she’s held.
Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic’s journey began in veterinary medicine. A graduate of the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, she came to the U.S. with a strong academic foundation and a passion for avian health. She earned her Master of Science in Avian Medicine and became a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians in 1995—one of the first professionals in her field to achieve this distinction.
Her early work in the United States included technical and veterinary leadership at Willmar Poultry Company, where she quickly became known for her precise approach to flock health and hatchery management. She went on to hold senior roles at several of the industry’s most recognized organizations, including Jennie-O Turkey Store and Select Genetics, before becoming General Manager of Headstart Hatching, where she continues to lead today.
At Jennie-O Turkey Store, Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic was promoted to Director of Live Production Operations. There, she oversaw hatchery operations and managed a team of production specialists working across the commercial grow-out system. Her work helped drive measurable improvements in poult quality, hatchability, and early chick health—an area in which she would become widely regarded as an expert.
Her leadership continued at Select Genetics, where she focused on optimizing breeder performance and supporting field operations that directly influenced hatch success and poult livability. In 2024, she took on her current role at Headstart Hatching, managing high-volume, high-tech hatchery facilities critical to the nation’s turkey supply chain.
Throughout her career, Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic has balanced technical rigor with practical insight—always focused on achieving real-world results. She has published research on respiratory disease in game birds, developed training programs to strengthen on-farm biosecurity, and is listed as co-inventor on a U.S. patent designed to increase egg hatchability.
Perhaps just as important as her technical credentials is the leadership style that defines her. Colleagues describe her as steady, collaborative, and unflinchingly professional. She has led through disease outbreaks, production challenges, and industry transitions, always with the bird’s well-being—and the producer’s reality—at the center of her decision-making.
Her work on biosecurity has become especially critical in recent years. As Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has tested the industry’s limits, Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic has helped shape prevention and containment strategies at the company and industry levels. She has served as an internal advisor, speaker, and contributor on biosecurity task forces and training programs, helping maintain operational continuity even in the face of major health threats.
Beyond her technical leadership, Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic is a respected mentor. Over the years, she has trained and supported dozens of production managers, veterinarians, and hatchery personnel—many of whom now serve in senior positions across the industry. Her ability to break down complex problems, teach with patience, and lead with humility has earned her the trust of teams and executives alike.
Today, as General Manager of Headstart Hatching, she remains at the forefront of hatchery innovation. Her work continues to influence how birds are handled, how performance is measured, and how teams are trained to meet the demands of modern turkey production.
The Allied Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for those who have made long-standing, meaningful contributions to Minnesota’s turkey industry through allied services and leadership. Dr. Rajcic-Spasojevic has done exactly that. She has made the industry stronger, smarter, and more resilient—not just through what she knows, but through how she leads.
Her legacy is written not only in patents and performance metrics, but in the people she has trained, the birds she has helped raise, and the standards she has set for an entire generation of poultry professionals.
For her decades of outstanding service, her deep technical and operational contributions, and her unwavering leadership, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association is proud to recognize Dr. Gorica Rajcic-Spasojevic with the 2025 Allied Lifetime Achievement Award.
