June 22/Austin, Minn./Business Wire -- Hormel Foods Corporate announced the advancement of Robert G. Samples to vice president of sales and marketing at Farmer John (Vernon, Calif.). In his new role, Samples will be accountable for the retail and foodservice sales and marketing functions for Farmer John. He will report to Greg N. Longstreet, president of Farmer John, and will transition to his new position by October 30, 2011.
Samples is a 29-year veteran of Hormel Foods and a graduate of Southern Illinois University. He received his M.B.A. from Mississippi College and started his employment with the company as a sales representative in Wausau, Wis., in 1982. Samples held other sales positions in Fargo, N.D., and Jackson, Miss., before advancing to his first management role as a district manager in 1988. Two years later, he advanced to a product manager role in Austin, Minn., and then to sales manager for the deli division. In 1992, Samples advanced to regional manager for the meat products division.