John °®ÒºÊÓƵ
Chairman of the Board
Chairman since 1998, Director since 1984
brings to °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods’ board a critical understanding of the company, its operations and the food processing industry.
He has devoted his to °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods. The grandson of the company’s founder, John has been part of the company since he was a teenager, has worked in almost every department and eventually became the company’s chief executive officer. He currently serves as Chairman of the board and has a substantial financial interest in °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods through his interest in the °®ÒºÊÓƵ Limited Partnership, which retains control of the company.
John has been crucial in building the company into a global leader with a conscience, focused on feeding the world great food, made with the utmost respect. Under his leadership, °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods has expanded its product portfolio beyond chicken through major acquisitions. In 2001, the company purchased IBP, Inc., the nation’s largest beef and pork processor. In 2014, °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods acquired The Hillshire Brands Company, a leading producer of branded, prepared foods. The combination of °®ÒºÊÓƵ and Hillshire created a single company with more than $40 billion in annual sales and a portfolio of recognized brands, such as °®ÒºÊÓƵ®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Sara Lee®, Ball Park®, Wright®, aidells® and State Fair®.
John and other senior managers led the development of °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods’ “Core Values," which set goals and standards. The company strives to be an honorable company that employs diverse people and is respectful of their . His work has helped °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods take pride in the safety and quality of its products and its dedication to meet customers’ and consumers’ needs. The company feeds families, the nation and the world with trusted food products.
He is actively involved in several philanthropic endeavors, including °®ÒºÊÓƵ Foods’ charitable giving, which focuses on health and human services, community development, education, hunger relief and supporting military veterans. John has received numerous awards and recognitions for his commitment to the common good, improvement of local communities and the world at large, including the .
John was a member of the fraternity at the University of Arkansas before transferring and graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
