Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 13, 1995 TAG: 9505150071
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LON WAGNER LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Smithfield Foods Inc. said Friday that Joseph W. Luter III has relinquished part of his job as head of the meatpacking company to John Nielson, former president and chief operating officer of John Morell & Co.
Smithfield is parent of Valleydale Foods Inc., which employs 190 people at a plant in Salem.
Nielson, 64, will take over as president and chief operating officer of the Smithfield-based company; Luter will remain chairman and chief executive officer. Nielson's appointment does not mean Luter will be less involved in the business, Smithfield Vice President Aaron Trub said.
"Mr. Nielson will be taking care of the day-to-day operations," Trub said. "Mr. Luter is chairman and CEO and intends to remain in that position from now until doomsday, as far as I'm concerned."
Smithfield Foods, a leading hog and pork processor, had $1.4 billion in sales in the fiscal year ended May 1, 1994. Smithfield employs more than 3,500 people at its processing and meatpacking operations in Hampton Roads and has about 7,000 employees throughout the country.
Like Luter, Nielson grew up in a family meatpacking business. Nielson, a Denmark native, began his career with Canada Packers Ltd. in Toronto in 1952.
Nielson has been president and chief operating officer of Burns Foods Ltd. In 1978, while at Burns, he was president for a year of the Meat Packers Council of Canada, similar to the American Meat Institute.
Luter said Smithfield wanted someone with Nielson's experience.
"We have built our company with a very lean management team that, for the most part, is still quite young," Luter said. "I believe that, as chief operating officer, he will be a steadying influence and experienced hand."
Trub said the company's growth over the past few years prompted Luter to vacate the president's position and appoint a hands-on manager.
"The company has grown quite large," Trub said. "We've got expanding operations in North Carolina, and essentially he felt we could use some help on a day-to-day basis."
by CNB