Smithfield Foods Adds Chief Operating Officer, Announces New Leadership Appointments

Global provider of protein and more—and parent of Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Nathan’s Famous®, and other iconic brands—Smithfield Foods has announced plans to enhance its organizational structure and add new leadership appointments, including a new Chief Operating Officer.

“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, in a press release.

According to that press release, Smithfield’s 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. The company noted that the efforts to restructure are intended to 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.

Effective January 1, Dennis Organ, an eight-year veteran of Smithfield—has assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Operations. In that role, Organ will be 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 will oversee all domestic business operations management, including the company’s hog production, fresh pork, and packaged meats businesses.

The following Smithfield team members will report to Organ:

• Gregg Schmidt, President, U.S. Hog Production
• Jason Richter, EVP, U.S. Fresh Pork
• Russ Dokken, EVP, U.S. Packaged Meats
• Scott Saunders, EVP, U.S. Supply Chain
• Joe Weber, EVP, U.S. Growth and Emerging Businesses

The company noted that Schmidt will remain President, U.S. Hog Production, until his retirement at the end of 2019 when Brady Stewart, formerly VP and GM of Kansas City Sausage Company and Pine Ridge Farms, which Smithfield acquired in 2017, will succeed him. In the interim, Stewart has been promoted to EVP, U.S. Hog Production.

Smithfield also announced the creation of a new CCO, Packaged Meats, position; the company has appointed John Pauley—formerly EVP, Retail Sales, Packaged Meats— to the role. In his new role, the 18-year Smithfield veteran will be 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.

Additionally, Keira Lombardo has been promoted to EVP of Corporate Affairs and Compliance. In this role, Lombardo leads the company’s communications, government affairs, sustainability, and investor relations efforts, and oversees all of Smithfield’s compliance functions, including legal.

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