Hormel Foods Names John Ghingo as President, Taps Jeffrey Ettinger as Interim CEO
Ghingo becomes the eleventh president in the company’s 135-year history as Ettinger returns for a 15-month term to guide leadership transition and oversee key corporate functions
Jeffrey M. Ettinger, interim chief executive officer, and John Ghingo, president, Hormel Foods Corporation
IMAGE COURTESY OF: Hormel Foods Corporation
Hormel Foods Corporation, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, announced that John Ghingo will be promoted to the role of president, becoming the eleventh person to hold the position in the company's nearly 135-year history. Jeffrey M. Ettinger, current member of the Hormel Foods board, will return to the company for a defined period of 15 months as interim chief executive officer. Ettinger and Ghingo will assume their leadership roles on July 14, 2025. On that day, Ghingo will also join the Hormel Foods board of directors.
In his current role as executive vice president for retail, Ghingo leads the company's largest business unit and oversees its portfolio of iconic consumer brands. He brings valuable perspective from both inside and outside the company, with 15 years of various leadership roles at Mondelēz International, as well as previously serving as president of Applegate Farms, LLC, a Hormel Foods subsidiary.
With extensive experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, Ghingo has a proven track record of driving growth and delivering results. In his role as president, he will directly oversee the company's retail, foodservice and international business segments. He will also lead the company's global operations, supply chain, research and development, and corporate strategy functions.
Ettinger had a nearly three-decade long career with the company, including serving as its ninth president and then being elevated to serve as its chief executive officer. During his tenure, Ettinger earned a reputation for driving performance and results. With his deep knowledge of the company and its culture, and his experience with the company's external stakeholders, he will be a strong partner to Ghingo. During this time, the company's corporate functions including finance, legal and external affairs, human resources, corporate communications, and ethics and compliance will report to Ettinger.
The Hormel Foods CEO search committee will now be dissolved, with the board planning to install the permanent chief executive officer in October 2026.
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