Connolly to Depart Conagra Brands; Brase Named President & CEO
Conagra Brands Inc. president and CEO Sean Connolly will step away from his role with the company on May 31, 2026, and Conagra has announced his replacement to be John Brase, former president and CEO of The J.M. Smucker Co.
Connolly departs after more than a decade of leadership with the company. Brase will take over June 1, 2026, and will join the board of directors for Conagra Brands. He brings more than 35 years of CPG experience, and he oversaw Smucker’s U.S. retail, international and Away from Home businesses, as well as its sales, operations and supply chain functions during his time at the helm there.
Prior to his Smucker tenure, Brase spent some three decades at Procter & Gamble, rising up to senior vice president and general manager of the company’s North America Family Care business. During his career there, he drove profitable growth across brands such as Charmin, Bounty, Puffs and Pampers.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.