Tyson Names New Chief Executives

The Board of Directors of Tyson Foods chooses Donnie Smith, currently senior group vice president of Poultry and Prepared Foods, to be the company's president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Additionally, Jim Lochner, currently senior group vice president of Fresh Meats, is named the company's chief operating officer.

 

Leland Tollett, who has been serving as interim president and CEO of the company since January, will continue in the coming months to assist Smith and Lochner in the transition, and he will be available for strategic advice and support.

 

Donnie Smith joined Tyson Foods in 1980 after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Animal Science. After seven years experience in various live poultry production jobs, he moved to the corporate headquarters in Springdale, Ark., to join the Tyson commodities purchasing group. Since then, he has had various leadership roles in the company, including Purchasing; Environmental, Health and Safety; Food Safety and Quality Assurance; Manufacturing Services; Information Systems; and Logistics, before becoming senior group vice president of Poultry and Prepared Foods.

 

Jim Lochner joined IBP Inc., later purchased by Tyson, in 1983 as director of research. He became executive vice president of IBP in 1997, responsible for all of IBP's beef and pork plants. In 2000, he was promoted to president and CEO of IBP. After Tyson Foods acquired IBP in 2001, he was named group vice president of Tyson Fresh Meats. He was then named Tyson Foods' senior group vice president of Margin Optimization in 2005 before becoming senior group vice president of Fresh Meats in 2007.