Wes Morris to retire as president of Tyson chicken business

He earlier retired from the company in 2017, but in 2023 he agreed to return for three years to turn around Tyson's then-struggling chicken segment.

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Wes Morris
Wes Morris
Courtesy Tyson Foods

Wes Morris, who came out of retirement in January 2023 to become the president of Tyson Foods’ chicken business, will soon retire again.

Morris’ future re-retirement was announced by Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on February 3.

Morris, who first joined Tyson Foods in 1999, retired from the company in 2017, as the president of Tyson Prepared Foods. However, the years that followed Morris’ retirement were ones of struggle for Tyson’s chicken business, so King asked him to return and “get our poultry business back on track and develop a strong succession plan,” King said.

“At the time, I asked Wes for three years and we’re now in our final year of the three-year commitment,” said King. “I think Wes has clearly gotten the business back on track and developed a great team, and I am forever indebted to Wes, and thank him for his leadership and his friendship.”

King said he will announce the selection of a new president of poultry in the coming weeks, and that they expect a seamless transition process for the remainder of the year.

Morris spoke during the earnings call, only before King mentioned his upcoming retirement.

First quarter results

Tyson Foods reported positive results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, both for the chicken business and companywide.

The company achieved a net income of $359 million and net sales of $13.6 billion for the quarter, up from the net income of $107 million and net sales of $13.3 billion recorded during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024.

The chicken business achieved sales of $4.07 billion for the most recent quarter, up from the $4.03 billion reported one year ago. The chicken business also saw a year-over-year increase in operating income, with $351 million for the quarter, versus $177 million for the first quarter of 2024.

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