Tyson Foundation Does ?Fishy? Philanthropy Work

Despite such notable names as John Tyson, Joe Fred Starr and Jim Blair on its board of directors, the Tyson Foundation Inc. is in the midst of perhaps a major overhaul.

Cheryl Tyson recently retired as director of the non profit organization, and until the dust settles from Tyson Foods Inc.’s $4.42 billion merger with IBP Inc., the foundation will be in somewhat of a holding pattern.

Archie Schaffer is the acting director of the foundation, who’s mission is scholarships and education-related aid. However, it’s obvious Tyson Foods senior chairman Don Tyson, who owns more than 90 percent of the voting stock in the company, also has a major influence on what mission the foundation takes at times.

In the last decade, Don Tyson gave several million dollars to help build the state-of-the-art International Game Fish Association Museum in Dania Beach, Fla. His love for deep sea fishing around the world is well known and was even brought up in the recent trial between Tyson Foods and IBP in Delaware Chancery Court.

Among the grants and contributions made by the foundation in 1999 — the last year tax records were available — were a $600,000 donation to the International Game Fish Association and another $20,000 to The Billfish Association.

For the time being, the marlins of the world may have to wait on the chicken, cattle and pig companies to finalize the merger before getting more help.

Animals have played a major role in the foundation’s generosity over the years. In 1995, the foundation played an instrumental role in building the University of Arkansas Poultry Science Center.

Tyson Foods spokesman Ed Nicholson said the foundation’s mission and direction is currently “being evaluated,” but that scholarships and education will “probably” continue to be the main goals of the foundation.

The foundation must now consider whether it will eventually include communities where IBP facilities are located. The Tyson Foundation gave almost $2 million in 1999 in scholarship grants to college and vo-tech students.

Among the foundation’s other donations were $250,000 to the UA Press Fund, $200,000 to the Jones Center for Families in Springdale and $100,000 to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. It also gave $25,000 to the Walton Arts Center, $25,000 to Johnson and Wales University and $22,400 to Bethany Lutheran College.

Other Arkansas schools benefitting from the Tyson Foundation include The New School in Fayetteville, Horatio Elementary, and Wilkes High School.

IBP Foundation Inc.’s largest grant and contribution in 1999 was $100,000 to a health clinic in Waterloo, Iowa. It also gave $97,500 to United Way in several communities, $50,000 to the Crittendon Center in Sioux City, Iowa, and $30,000 to St. Francis Hospital in West Point, Neb.

There could be some change in the Tyson Foundation’s board with the merger of IBP.

“We’re trying to decide what we want to do with Cheryl’s position,” said Annetta Young, executive assistant of the foundation. “We’re not sure if we’ll keep the board the same. But at this time we really don’t know.”

Young said since the Tyson Foundation is “still pretty much a family foundation, the Tysons are having the discussions” on the matter of the board.

The Tyson Foundation was formed in 1967.