Tyson creates new top tier management position

Tyson Foods announced Monday (Nov. 25) that Mike Roetzel will become the group vice president of operations for the meat giant, reporting directly to CEO Donnie Smith.


Roetzel is an industry veteran who began his career with Tyson Foods in 1986 as the controller for the transportation and warehouse division. He has also served as director of sales accounting and held numerous other management positions such as vice president of commodity purchasing. He was most recently the senior vice president of purchasing since 2008.


This new top corporate position came about as chief operating officer Jim Lochner recently announced his pending retirement next year. In the meantime, while Lochner retains the COO position, he will relocating back to South Dakota, where Tyson Fresh Meats is headquartered as he oversees the transition of new leadership in the beef and pork division.


Based in Springdale, Roetzel will oversee several of the company’s shared services including:

• Information systems;

• Animal well-being;

• Distribution;

• Food safety and quality assurance;

• Environmental, and

• Health and safety.


Smith said following Lochner’s retirement the company will no longer have a chief operating officer position as the firm has restructured its top tier management, splitting the top management duties of its poultry and prepared foods segments.


Roetzel will be in charge of many of the day-to-day operations for the entire firm, while Noel White will locate to Springdale from South Dakota to head up the poultry division. At the same time, Donnie King will oversee the prepared foods segment through a major growth and investment phase.


Roetzel is a Springdale native who earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas. He worked as a certified public accountant a short time later. He now lives in Fayetteville with his wife of 33 years, Julie.