Tyson Foods Supply Chain Head Departs Over Conduct Breach
Brady Stewart Exits, Poultry Head Devin Cole Named New Chief Operating Officer
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Tyson Foods Inc. said its supply chain chief left the company , marking the second senior executive departure for improper behavior in just over a year.
Chief Supply Chain Officer Brady Stewart is departing the U.S. meat giant after taking certain actions that violated its code of conduct, Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson said in a statement late Sept. 2. The company didn鈥檛 provide further details on his actions in the statement, and representatives didn鈥檛 immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tyson also appointed Devin Cole, the head of its poultry business as chief operating officer, with the U.S. meat giant signaling more management changes associated with its succession planning.
Tyson ranks No. 9 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America. Its shares fell as much as 2% in the first hours of trading Sept. 3.
Stewart鈥檚 departure comes a little more than a year after John R. Tyson, the great-grandson of the company鈥檚 founder, was permanently removed as chief financial officer following a drunk driving听arrest. It also follows a string of senior executive exits at U.S. companies such as Nestl茅 SA and Kohl鈥檚 Corp. over violations of internal norms.
Stewart 鈥 who also ran the company鈥檚 beef, pork and prepared foods businesses 鈥 in 2023 became responsible for a听streamlining push听in areas such as transportation and warehousing as part of a broader effort to restore profit.
Cole, who is group president of poultry, will take over as COO, overseeing Tyson Foods鈥 chicken, beef, pork and prepared food operations. The company didn鈥檛 have a COO since Donnie King, the latest executive to hold the position, became chief executive officer in 2021.
The move 鈥渞eflects Tyson Foods鈥 commitment to robust succession planning,鈥 the producer said in the statement. The company will share further leadership and organizational updates before its fiscal year starts on Sept. 28, 鈥渃onsistent with its established succession planning and governance processes.鈥
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