11-19 news: Tyson Foods names Donnie Smith CEO, Jim Lochner COO
“The Tyson Board and the Tyson family congratulate Donnie Smith and Jim Lochner and wish them the best for the future success of our company,” Tyson said. “We appreciate Leland Tollett stepping into the CEO role earlier in the year and working so hard to help turn the company around. Significant progress has been made. I have worked with both Donnie and Jim for a number of years and am convinced that they are the right leadership team for this next phase in the evolution of our company. Their extensive experience inside the company has fully prepared them to continue the progress we have made in the last year.”
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. “When I was called back to help get our company back on course, I was asked how long I would be in this role. I jokingly said, ‘somewhere between three months and three years, hopefully sooner than later.’ That time is now, and our company has been profitable for an extended period of time and it has been personally gratifying to me to have been able to lead a great team of people in turning our company around in a relatively short time. I know Donnie and Jim are ready to take on these new responsibilities and lead the great team of managers we have in our company. I’ve enjoyed being back at the company this year, but while I’ll continue to be available for advice should it be needed, the amount of time I spend on company matters will be reduced significantly going forward,” Tollett said.