In an August 3rd release, concurrent with publication of the third quarter results, Tyson Foods Inc. announced that Dean Banks will succeed Noel White as CEO and President effective October 3rd. White has led Tyson for the past two years and will remain as Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
John Tyson, Chairman of the Board of Tyson Foods stated, “The Board and I are truly excited about the breadth and depth of capabilities of Dean and the entire executive leadership team and we look forward to the energy and vision they will bring in leading Tyson Foods into the future.” Tyson added, “It is clear to the Board that Dean’s impressive background in entrepreneurship, technology, and the healthcare industry make him ideally suited to lead Tyson in its efforts to integrate advanced technologies into our operations and further our focus on team member health and safety.”
In accepting the appointment, Banks stated, “I want to offer my sincere thanks to the more than 1,400 team members who have given me a warm welcome over the past three years. I am honored to lead Tyson Foods as its next CEO and look forward to working with our company’s leadership in executing our strategy to capitalize on opportunities across the protein spectrum.”
Dean acknowledged the contributions of Noel White for 37 years of service with IBP and then subsequent to the acquisition by Tyson Foods. Banks acknowledged the experience gained by White.
Banks earned a B.A. from Miami University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Tyson Foods, he was affiliated with Google and various venture capital organizations in the health field.