Smithfield Foods CEO steps down, veteran exec takes over
Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork processor, says that Chief Executive Officer Dennis Organ is stepping down for personal reasons less than a year after taking the helm.
13 July 2021
3 minute read
By: Reuters reports that Smithfield has appointed 18-year company veteran Shane Smith to the top role, in the second high-profile CEO change in recent weeks at a major US meat company after Tyson Foods Inc named a new chief last month.
Smithfield, a Virginia-based company that is owned by Hong Kong's WH Group Ltd, in January unveiled a management shakeup that saw several executives retire.
The US meat industry came under the microscope during the COVID-19 pandemic as workers got sick and slaughterhouse shutdowns highlighted supply-chain vulnerabilities.
A North Carolina native, Smith joined Smithfield as a financial analyst in 2003. He was most recently its chief strategy officer, overseeing the company's efforts to boost sales through its own resources as well as mergers and acquisitions.
