AUSTIN, Minn. -- Hormel Foods Corp. has announced that Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman and CEO of Hormel Foods, has been named one of the World’s Best CEOs by Barron’s.
Ettinger was among 30 CEOs selected by the publication’s editors and writers based on a history of strong leadership over a lengthy period.
Ettinger joined Hormel Foods in 1989 and was appointed CEO in 2005. During his tenure as CEO, Ettinger has grown and diversified Hormel Foods to meet the needs of changing consumer trends by expanding the company’s product portfolio through strategic acquisitions and innovation.
For example, last year Hormel Foods acquired Applegate Farms LLC, owner of the Applegate brand. Applegate is a leading brand in the natural and organic value-added prepared meats category.
Hormel Foods also acquired CytoSport in 2014, maker of Muscle Milk premium protein products in the sports nutrition category, and the Skippy peanut butter brand in 2013. In addition, the company continues to innovate and invigorate its traditional product lines by creating new items for the on-the-go market like Skippy P.B. bites.
“Four or five years ago, we started thinking about what kinds of products we were missing. We wanted to become more global, to expand our offerings to a more multicultural mix of items, and offer consumers more healthy, holistic foods,” Ettinger said in an interview with Barron’s.
Under Ettinger’s leadership, the company has furthered its diversity and inclusion initiatives with the development of employee resource groups. The company also developed and has donated more than 11 million cans of Spammy, a shelf-stable poultry product fortified with vitamins and minerals, to prevent childhood malnutrition in Guatemala.
Meanwhile, Hormel Foods also has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year on the Military Times Best for Vets: Employers list.
The company ranked No. 70 on this year’s list, which evaluates the many factors that make a company a good fit for military veterans and spouses.
“The skills, training and work ethic of veterans have proved to be an asset to our company, and we are honored to receive this recognition,” said Larry C. Lyons, senior vice president of human resources at Hormel Foods.
To compile the ranking, Military Times focused on culture and policies that cater to military veterans when conducting and scoring the seventh-annual survey. The survey is a nearly 90-question analysis of a company’s efforts to connect with veterans and provide an environment for success.
Click here for the complete Best for Vets Employers list.
Hormel Foods, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products.
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