Tyson Foods wouldn’t be the company we are without a key group of people. They are heroes. They are courageous. They are the people we work alongside every day. They are United States military veterans.
Veterans are represented across our enterprise, from our chaplains, to our legal department, to our truck drivers, to our executive leadership team. Tyson Foods President and CEO Dean Banks is a former platoon sergeant and squad leader in the U.S. Marine Corps.
As key events have happened in our nation this year, veteran team members have shined in their response. When the pandemic hit, our Veterans and Friends Business Resource Group partnered with Northwest Arkansas organizations and medical groups to deliver food to COVID-impacted households.
And as women team members took a moment to reflect on late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, veteran Marissa Savells thanked Justice Ginsburg for being able to serve in the military while also starting a family.
Director of Chaplain Services Karen Diefendorf served in the U.S. Army for 24 years, where she worked on developing a chaplain training program. Today, she uses those skills to help create the most impactful chaplaincy program in corporate America.
“Successful veterans naturally gravitate towards accomplishing a mission or challenge, viewing obstacles as opportunities,” she says. “And this is often what chaplains aim to do as well – to provide team members with a path forward during challenging times.”
On a personal level, our truck drivers went the extra mile recently to honor a team member and veteran of the U.S. Air Force who had passed away – delivering his ashes to his 79-year-old mother living in New York.
It’s moments like these when veterans help demonstrate why we are #TysonTogether. Today, we’ll be hosting a public, virtual event with guest speaker and former Green Beret Scott Mann. A panel discussion will be led by Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Stewart Glendinning followed by closing remarks from Dean Banks.
As you reflect on the meaning of today, take a moment to reach out to a veteran you know. Let them know what their service – and sacrifice – means to you.