John R. Tyson, the former CFO of Tyson Foods, has been appointed as a director of the US meat giant following his suspension as finance chief last year.

The son of the company’s chairman and great-grandson of its founder John W. Tyson will sit on the company’s strategy and acquisitions committee and its technology committee.

Together with Olivia Tyson – who has also been appointed a director to serve on the compensation and leadership development and technology committees – the pair become “the fourth generation of Tyson family members to sit on the board”, according to a statement.

“With their leadership, I am confident that we will continue to uphold the values of generations of the Tyson family and serve as stewards of the company for the long-term benefit of our team members, our communities and our shareholders,” chairman John H. Tyson said.

John R. Tyson left the business under a cloud in June last year, suspended as CFO for a driving while intoxicated offence. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charge before admitting responsibility in court in August, reportedly hit with a fine of $960 and a public service order.

He also found himself in hot water in 2022, when John R. Tyson was arrested under charges of criminal trespassing and public intoxication. That incident was related to being found asleep in a stranger’s bed in a woman’s house in Arkansas in November 2022. He later pleaded guilty to those charges.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

After initially being installed as interim CFO following John R. Tyson’s departure, Curt Calaway was appointed on a permanent basis last August to support president and CEO Donnie King.

“We have an industry-leading management team and an exceptional group of outside independent directors with the skillsets and experiences to sustain Tyson’s future success,” the chairman added.

“I am confident about our strategy and excited to step into a new chapter of working with the fourth generation of Tyson family members to help oversee the business.”

In the statement confirming his new appointment, John R. Tyson was referred to as an “executive, investor and non-profit board member” of Tyson Foods. As well as CFO, he also previously held the role of chief strategy officer.

Prior to joining the publicly listed business, he was an investment banker.

Meanwhile, Olivia Tyson has served as president of the Tyson Family Foundation since 2018, according to the statement. She is also a co-founder of Tricky Knot, an entertainment development and financing company in New York.

Tyson Foods issued its second-quarter results last week, with CEO King emphasising the continuing challenges in the beef segment of the company’s business, which also includes pork, chicken and prepared foods.

Prepared foods is an area behind which Tyson Foods is allocating resources to drive growth and improve margins.

Prepared foods notched up a margin of 10.2% in the second quarter compared to 9.7% in the opening three months of the year. That was above the group print of 3.8% (Q1 at 3.2%). Chicken generated a margin of 7.5% (3.9%) and pork 3.7% (2.2%).

Beef remained in negative territory at minus 2.8% (-0.7%).

King noted how beef “is experiencing the most challenging market conditions we’ve ever seen” as adjusted operating profit for that division delivered a $149m second-quarter loss, wider than a $34m loss a year earlier.

Tyson Foods as a group recorded an operating profit of $515m compared to $406m in the corresponding period.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Have you nominated?

Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation, leadership, and impact. This is your chance to showcase your achievements, highlight industry advancements, and gain global recognition. Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today!

Nominate Now