Last updated on February 23rd, 2017 at 10:28 am
Tyson Foods is making some changes—revealing a new senior leadership team, executives who the company says will “propel” it forward and accelerate growth, and unveiling a new corporate logo.
The new appointments come as the company announces the departure of Donnie King, president, North American Operations; Sara Lilygren, EVP, Corporate Affairs; and Gary Cooper, chief information officer. These departures will be effective over a period of months to allow sufficient time for a seamless transition, according to Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson.
Members of the new leadership team, who will report to President and CEO Tom Hayes, include:
• Sally Grimes, president, North American Retail;
• Andy Callahan, president, North American Foodservice & International;
• Noel White, COO;
• Monica McGurk, chief growth officer;
• Dennis Leatherby, CFO;
• Scott Rouse, chief customer officer;
• David Van Bebber, general counsel;
• Devin Graham (interim), chief technology officer
• Mary Oleksiuk, chief human resources officer; and
• The chief sustainability officer position remains open.
The “talented new team brings together deep and diverse experience, and establishes leading capabilities for Tyson Foods along the entire food value chain, from agriculture to dining culture,” the company says.
The team will increase focus on consumers, customers, technology and sustainability. The company says that clear priority and accountability in these four areas, coupled with a structure designed for collaboration and agile decision-making, position it for continued success in a changing market.
“Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to having the best possible management team in place, which will be crucial to achieving our objectives and continued excellence,” said Hayes. “On behalf of the board and management, I would like to thank Donnie, Sara and Gary for their hard work and meaningful contributions to Tyson Foods. As a result of their efforts, we are well positioned to execute against our priorities and realize long-term value for our stakeholders. We wish them well.
“These important changes better align our management structure to our purpose and strategy. This new structure will facilitate efficiency and growth, as well as lay the foundation for strong leadership and management continuity. I’m deeply proud that we were able to fill most of these roles from within, tapping the abundance of talent and dedication we have here at Tyson Foods.”
New logo
Few details have been released about the company’s new corporate logo. Tyson’s Facebook page was updated with the new image Tuesday and its website says of the logo: “Identity: Always forward. That’s one of the messages behind our new corporate logo. More to come.”
