Tyson Foods announces departure of general counsel David Van Bebber, appointment of Boeing exec as replacement

David L. Van Bebber, who joined Tyson Foods in May 1986 as part of the Lane Processing Inc. acquisition and has served as general counsel since May 2008, will leave the company next spring, the company announced Thursday (Nov. 30).

Amy Tu, an Arkansas native and University of Arkansas graduate, has been named his successor, effective Dec. 11. Tu joins Tyson Foods from The Boeing Co., where she most recently served as chief counsel for global law affairs. She has more than 20 years of international experience and will report directly to Tyson Foods president and CEO Tom Hayes.

Tu joined Boeing in Chicago in 2001 as assistant corporate secretary and counsel for mergers and acquisitions, finance and governance after serving as international corporate counsel at Gap Inc., and as international corporate counsel at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Van Bebber’s final day with the company, according to a news release, will be May 11, 2018. His exit is the second significant leadership change announced by Tyson Foods in the past month. On Nov. 8, the company announced that longtime executive Dennis Leatherby, the company’s chief financial officer since 2008, will step down from that role on Feb. 10, 2018, and leave the company in April 2018. His replacement is former Molson Coors Brewing Co. executive Stewart F. Glendinning. Glendinning is also expected to join the company Dec. 11.