Tyson Employees Departing as Company Consolidates in Arkansas

Tyson Foods Inc.’s October announcement that it’s closing regional offices and requiring employees to move to Springdale, Ark., headquarters apparently will result in hundreds of employees quitting the company.

Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the Wall Street Journal on Dec. 21 reported the expected departures. About 1,000 employees work in offices in Chicago, Downers Grove, Ill., and Dakota Dunes, S.D., locations that are being consolidated into Springdale. Those housed prepared foods, beef and pork divisions.

One high-ranking departure that may be tied to the consolidation was announced by the company: Tyson on Dec. 20 said Brady Stewart will become Group President of Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson. He will replace Shane Miller, “who will conclude more than 30 years of exceptional service” to the company. Miller apparently was located in Sioux City, Iowa, not far from where he grew up. Stewart was chief operating officer of pork giant Smithfield Foods Inc.

Tyson gave employees until Nov. 14 to decide if they would relocate in early 2023. The company said the planned office closures are meant to consolidate its corporate employees in one place to improve collaboration and decision-making.

Roughly 75% of the 500 employees in Tyson’s South Dakota office told the company they wouldn’t make the move to Arkansas and planned to depart by about the time the office closes in mid-2023, according to the Wall Street Journal story. And more than 90% of the employees in Tyson’s Chicago office have declined to relocate.