Tyson Foods, Inc. announced that its board of directors has promoted Tom Hayes to the position of president. Formerly chief commercial officer of Tyson Foods, Hayes will work directly with Donnie Smith, who will continue as the company’s chief executive officer.

Prior to his role as chief commercial officer, Hayes was president of food service at Tyson Foods. Previously, Hayes served as chief supply chain officer for The Hillshire Brands Company, responsible for operations including procurement, manufacturing, food safety and quality, engineering, and logistics. In his new role, Hayes will lead Tyson Foods' transition reflecting the company’s strategic focus on its hybrid model of branded prepared foods and fresh meats. Hayes will be based in Springdale, Ark.

Donnie Smith said, “Tom Hayes is an exceptional leader who’s played a key role in creating a united company and in our continued development of our branded products. He has a distinguished track record of strategic, operational and commercial accomplishments, and I am pleased to have an opportunity to work closely with him as we continue to leverage our scale and nine core brands to drive industry-leading growth in attractive market segments.”

“Under Donnie Smith’s leadership, Tyson Foods has delivered excellent results for shareholders and experienced significant growth,” said John Tyson, chairman of the board of directors. “As we look toward the future of our business and its next phase of growth, succession planning is the board’s responsibility. We are focused on leaders with the right skills to help Tyson Foods capitalize on favorable market trends in the U.S. and abroad, continue improving our portfolio mix and margins, and drive innovation in our expanding range of branded products.”

“I am honored to serve as president of Tyson Foods,” said Mr. Hayes. “I appreciate the confidence the board has placed in me and look forward to working closely with Donnie and the board to help our company become a global leader in protein-centric branded foods.”