Hormel names Snee president and COO

Hormel Foods Corp. has promoted James Snee as president and chief operating officer of the company. The promotion will take effect Monday.
In his new role, Snee, 48, will oversee all the company’s business segments and operations, such as Grocery Products, Refrigerated Foods, Specialty Foods, Jennie-O Turkey Store and International. He also was named to Hormel’s board of directors.
Snee, 48, will take over the president position from Jeff Ettinger, who will remain as the Austin, Minnesota,-based company company’s chief executive and chairman. Snee will continue to report to Ettinger.
Ettinger, 57, was named president and chief operating officer in 2004, before being named CEO in 2005. All corporate administrative functions will continue to report to Entinger. He is the former president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, which is based in Willmar.
“Jim’s vast experience in both our core businesses and our emerging growth markets internationally position him exceptionally well to take on the additional responsibilities of president and chief operating officer,” Ettinger said.
Snee is the 10th president of the company during its nearly 125-year history. He joined the company in 1989 in the food service division and later worked various positions within the company. He was named a senior vice president of Hormel Foods International in 2011 and promoted to president of International in 2012.
“I understand the incredible legacy of Hormel Foods, and equally as important, I understand our imperatives for growth,” Snee said in a new release.
A long-time, major pork processor, Hormel has diversified its operations in recent years, such as purchases of Skippy peanut butter, Muscle Milk maker CytoSport Holdings and Applegate Farms meats.
Hormel is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products.