Tyson Foods, one of the largest meat producers in the world, announced Monday that its president and CEO Tom Hayes will step down at the end of September for "personal reasons."
Tyson's board of directors said its group president of beef, pork and international divisions Noel White will succeed Hayes.
Gary Mickelson, Tyson spokesman, did not elaborate on Hayes' resignation, but said, "there are no issues of personal conduct or integrity."
This April 4, 2017, photo provided by Tyson Foods Inc., shows Tyson executive Noel White, in Springdale, Ark. Tyson Foods has announced its president and chief executive officer Tom Hayes will step down at the end of September for "personal reasons." Tyson's board of directors said Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, that its group president of beef, pork and international divisions Noel White will succeed Hayes. (Beth HallTyson Foods Inc. via AP)
Hayes joined Tyson in 2014 with its acquisition of The Hillshire Brand Company, where he was chief supply chain officer. In 2016, Hayes was appointed first president and then CEO of the Springdale, Arkansas-based company.
"It is a very difficult decision to leave Tyson Foods, but after careful consideration and discussions with my family and the board, I know it is the right thing to do," Hayes said in a statement.
Tyson said White has been with the company since 2001, when it acquired beef and pork producer IBP, where White had worked since 1983. He previously served as chief operations officer and president of poultry.
John Tyson, chairman of the board of directors and grandson of the company's founder, said the board has "the utmost confidence" in White, who said he was "honored" by the appointment.
In an unrelated incident Monday morning, officials reported a fire at White's house in Johnson, Arkansas. Fayetteville Fire Chief David Dayringer said no one was hurt but the home was damaged. Dayringer said the fire appeared to have started accidentally as the result of a gas leak in the fireplace.
This story has been corrected to show Tyson acquired IBP in 2001, not 1983.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn't see it as a significant issue. Most American troops left that base in the nation's capital, Niamey, a U.S. official said.
The arrival of Russian trainers in the West African country about three weeks ago came in the wake of Niger’s decision to order out all U.S. troops. The order dealt a blow to U.S. military operations in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.
The Pentagon has said the U.S. troops will depart but has not provided a timeline.
When Russian troops arrived last month, it was unclear where they were staying. The Niamey base, Austin said late Thursday, is located at the capital city's Diori Hamani International Airport, and “the Russians are in a separate compound and don’t have access to U.S. forces or access to our equipment.”
He said the U.S. will continue to watch the situation but he doesn't see it as a significant force protection issue.
A U.S. official said the Russian forces are on the other side of the Niamey facility, known as Airbase 101, and that other international forces — such as the Germans and Italians — also reside. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements. It's unclear how many U.S. troops remain at the Niamey base.
The Russian presence on the base comes as tensions remain high between Washington and Moscow over the ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine's military.
About 1,000 U.S. troops are still in Niger, but the bulk of them moved to what's called Airbase 201 near Agadez, some 920 kilometers (550 miles) away from the capital, not long after mutinous soldiers ousted the country’s democratically elected president last July.
A few months later, the ruling junta asked French forces to leave and turned to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for security assistance.
In October, Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup, which triggered U.S. laws restricting the military support and aid that it can provide to Niger. Since then, diplomatic efforts to restore ties with Niger have been unsuccessful.
Until recently, Washington considered Niger a key partner and ally in a region swept by coups in recent years, investing millions of dollars in the Agadez base, which has been critical to U.S. counterterrorism operations in the Sahel. The U.S. also has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military since it began operations there in 2013.
The Pentagon also has said the U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in neighboring Chad for now. Chad is also considering whether to continue its security agreement with the U.S.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that the departure from Chad "is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad’s May 6th presidential election.”
FILE - Supporters of Niger's ruling junta gather for a protest called to fight for the country's freedom and push back against foreign interference, in Niamey, Niger, Aug. 3, 2023. Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain after most American troops left the base in Niamey, the nation's capital, a U.S. official said Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)
