Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL), today announced the retirement of Julie H. Craven, vice president of corporate communications, and Joe C. Swedberg, vice president of legislative affairs.
As a result, Wendy A. Watkins, global vice president of corporate communications at Delaware North Companies, will assume the position of vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods. Jeffrey A. Grev, director of legislative affairs, will advance to the position of vice president of legislative affairs.
“I’d like to thank Julie and Joe for their many years of service. Julie’s expertise in the area of corporate communications and Joe’s leadership in legislative affairs have been invaluable contributions to our executive team, and we wish them the best in retirement,” said Lori J. Marco, vice president of external affairs and general counsel. “Additionally, we welcome Wendy to Hormel Foods. She and Jeff bring a wealth of knowledge to these roles, and we look forward to their leadership.”
Julie H. Craven
Craven began her career at Hormel Foods in
1988 as the director of consumer affairs at the Corporate Office in
Austin, Minn., after experience at Kraft Foods and Meredith Corporation.
In 1995, she became a product manager in foodservice and was promoted to
senior product manager in 1998. In 2001, she became the director of
public relations and assumed her current role in 2005.
Wendy A. Watkins
Watkins has more than twenty years of
experience in strategic communications, marketing and media relations.
She began her career in public relations at Four Seasons World Resort
and Community and subsequently worked at LaNier Associates agency and
led corporate communications, advertising and public relations for
Brandywine Enterprises, the development and real estate division of
Empire America. Watkins spent ten years with the Marriott family of
companies, serving as global director of corporate communications and
public relations, and in 2000, joined her current company, Delaware
North, leading the company’s global communications team.
Joe C. Swedberg
Swedberg began his career in sales in
Denver, Colo., in 1981. He held several sales positions and in 1984,
became an associate product manager in meat products at the Corporate
Office. While in meat products marketing, Swedberg held several product
manager and group product manager positions and became the director of
marketing in 1993. He became the vice president of meat products
marketing in 1999 and assumed his current role in 2003.
Jeffrey A. Grev
Grev began his career in 1984 in Grocery
Products sales in Louisville, Ky. A year later, he became a sales
representative for the Michigan territory and then the New England
territory. In 1987, he became the manager of sales services for Grocery
Products at the Corporate Office (Austin, Minn.). Grev became an
associate product manager, Grocery Products, in 1988, and held several
marketing positions until 1996, when he became a group product manager
for Grocery Products. In 2006, he took on a special assignment to become
the general manager of Valley Fresh Foods at the Corporate Office. He
became the corporate manager of mergers and acquisitions in 2007 and
then director of corporate development in 2013. He assumed his current
role in 2014.
About Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in
Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of
consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the
best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its
extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey
processing and marketing to bring branded, value-added products to the
global marketplace. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's
(S&P) 500 Index, S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats for 2014, was named the
2013 Sustainable Supply Chain of the Year by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods
magazine, and was again named one of “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens”
by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the sixth year in a row. Hormel
Foods was also recognized as a 2015 Military Friendly Employer by G.I.
Jobs magazine, and named one of the 2015 40 Best Companies for Leaders
by Chief Executive magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation
among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers
for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience
and value. For more information, visit http://www.hormelfoods.com.
Contacts:
Julie H. Craven, 507-437-5345
media@hormel.com