Smithfield Foods hit by exits, retirements
Four senior executives leave of own accord, spokesperson says
Several senior leaders at Smithfield Foods have left the company during the past few months.
Four senior executives, each with years of experience at the meat industry giant, have retired, joined competitors or resigned recently from the company, which is headquartered in Smithfield. The exits include the company’s chief financial officer, chief sales officer, chief administrative officer and chief operating officer.
Smithfield Foods spokesperson Jim Monroe said in an interview the exits were not related to a decision from Chinese owners WH Group.
“We hate to lose valued members of our team, but we’re fortunate to have a deep bench,” Monroe said. “We expect all of these to have smooth transitions.”
Former Smithfield COO Brady Stewart left the company Dec. 20 for a position at Tyson Foods. Stewart joined Smithfield in 2017. He was responsible for supply chain operations and implementing the company’s strategy across its more than 500 company-owned farms and 46 production facilities. At Tyson, he will be group president of fresh meats and responsible for building efficiencies in the company’s beef and pork businesses.
“His background in building business strategies that drive outcomes and identify efficiencies across complex supply chains is critical for this role,” Tyson Foods President and CEO Donnie King said in a news release.
While Smithfield Foods considers long-term organizational plans, the operations team will now report to President and CEO Shane Smith, the company said.
Smithfield CFO Glenn Nunziata planned to leave at the end of the year. He joined the company in that position in September 2015.
“The future is bright for the company, and I am thankful for
the opportunity to have worked alongside so many talented people committed to a worthy mission to produce good food the right way,” Nunziata said in a news release. “I plan to take some time to consider the next phase of my career.”
Smithfield named Mark Hall, executive vice president of finance, as the new chief financial officer.
Russ Dokken, chief sales officer, planned to retire at the end of the year, Monroe said. His position will be filled by Steve France, executive vice president of packaged meats. Dokken joined Smithfield in 1995 and became chief sales officer in 2020.
Finally, former Smithfield Chief Administrative Officer Keira Lombardo recently made the decision to resign after 20 years with the company, Monroe said. She became chief administrative officer in late 2020.
Smith became Smithfield president and CEO in 2021 after Dennis Organ stepped down for personal reasons after less than a year, according to a news release.
Smithfield’s parent company had a financially successful first half of 2022, according to an annual report from WH Group. The company raked in almost $13.4 billion in revenue during the first six months, up by roughly $67 million from the same time period in 2021.