Smithfield Foods Inc. has announced an enhanced organizational structure, which includes new leadership appointments and the addition of a chief operating officer.

The new structure and leadership appointments signify the ultimate realization of “One Smithfield,” an initiative to unify all of Smithfield’s operations, brands, and more than 54,000 employees globally under one corporate umbrella. In addition, it will optimize and simplify Smithfield’s organizational alignment, infuse innovative ideas in all aspects of the company, and heighten its strategic focus on its $8 billion value-added business, which holds top market share in numerous product categories.

“Guided by our principles of responsibility, operational excellence, and innovation, our new optimized structure and leadership team will further ignite our potential as ‘One Smithfield’ by allowing us to better identify and seek out opportunities to improve our business, including ways to work smarter, serve customers better, and make Smithfield the best of the best,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods.

Effective January 1, Dennis Organ has been promoted to chief operating officer, U.S. operations, a new position. This new role oversees and unifies all domestic business operations management, including the company’s hog production, fresh pork, and packaged meats businesses. He is responsible for strategic development, day-to-day operations, and continued improvement of the company’s U.S. businesses, ensuring Smithfield’s operations are optimized, efficient, and best-in-class. Organ has been with Smithfield for eight years and has exhibited the unique qualities necessary to execute these new responsibilities.

Under the new structure, the following members of Smithfield’s leadership team will report to Organ:

• Gregg Schmidt, president, U.S. hog production
• Jason Richter, executive vice president, U.S. fresh pork
• Russ Dokken, executive vice president, U.S. packaged meats
• Scott Saunders, executive vice president, U.S. supply chain
• Joe Weber, executive vice president, U.S. growth and emerging businesses

Gregg Schmidt will remain president, U.S. hog production, until his retirement at the end of 2019. Brady Stewart, formerly vice president and general manager of Kansas City Sausage Company and Pine Ridge Farms, which Smithfield acquired in 2017, will work with Schmidt for the next year and succeed him upon his retirement. Stewart has been promoted to executive vice president, U.S. hog production.

Smithfield has also created a chief commercial officer, packaged meats, position that has been filled by John Pauley, who has been with the company for 18 years and was previously executive vice president of retail sales, packaged meats. Pauley is responsible for commercial strategy and development, including responsibility for all domestic packaged meats sales channels and business development, as well as all domestic marketing activities, innovation, and product development. Pauley is regarded for his market knowledge and comprehensive grasp of the company’s commercial opportunities, making him the ideal leader to fill this new role.

Smithfield is also pleased to announce the promotion of Keira Lombardo to executive vice president of corporate affairs and compliance. Lombardo leads the company’s communications, government affairs, sustainability, and investor relations efforts, and oversees all of Smithfield’s compliance functions, including legal. Lombardo has been with Smithfield for more than 16 years and has a unique and multifaceted understanding of the business, industry, and the company’s broad array of stakeholders.

The enhanced structure and new leadership appointments reinforce a clear vision for the future of Smithfield focused on fulfilling its mission to produce good food in a responsible way, the company said in a statement.

Source: Smithfield Foods