Tyson Foods, Inc. has promoted Tom Hayes to the position of president. The former chief commercial officer of the Springdale, Arkansas, USA-headquartered company will work directly with Donnie Smith, who will continue as the company’s chief executive officer.
Prior to becoming chief commercial officer, Hayes was president of foodservice at Tyson Foods. He previously served as chief supply chain officer for The Hillshire Brands Company, responsible for operations including procurement, manufacturing, food safety and quality, engineering and logistics. Before that he was senior vice president and chief supply chain officer for Sara Lee North America.
Tom Hayes has assumed the presidency of Tyson Foods.In his new role, the seasoned food industry executive will concentrate on sharpening the company’s focus on its hybrid model of branded prepared foods and fresh meats. Tyson’s line of frozen offerings is extensive, ranging from Batter Dipped Chicken Breast Tenders and Spicy Chicken Nuggets to Day Starts Breakfast Sandwiches.
“Tom Hayes is an exceptional leader who’s played a key role in creating a united company, and in our continued development of our branded products. He has a distinguished track record of strategic, operational and commercial accomplishments, and I am pleased to have an opportunity to work closely with him as we continue to leverage our scale and nine core brands to drive industry-leading growth in attractive market segments,” said CEO Smith.
Steak Fingers under the Day Starts Breakfast Sandwich range is one of many convenience food items in Tyson’s wide variety of frozen retail products.“Under Donnie Smith’s leadership, Tyson Foods has delivered excellent results for shareholders and experienced significant growth,” said John Tyson, chairman of the board of directors. “As we look toward the future of our business and its next phase of growth, succession planning is the board’s responsibility. We are focused on leaders with the right skills to help Tyson Foods capitalize on favorable market trends in the US and abroad, continue improving our portfolio mix and margins, and drive innovation in our expanding range of branded products.”
“I am honored to serve as president of Tyson Foods,” said Hayes. “I appreciate the confidence the board has placed in me and look forward to working closely with Donnie and the board to help our company become a global leader in protein-centric branded foods.”
About Tyson Foods
On average Tyson Foods processes more than 41 million chickens per week that are transformed into value-added products for retail and foodservice customers around the world.Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world’s largest food companies, with leading brands such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells and State Fair. It is a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts.
The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and some130 other countries. It employs approximately 113,000 people at more than 400 facilities and offices around the world.
