Food manufacturing
10 Tyson Foods operations leaders
These ten current and former Tyson Foods operations leaders have held director, managing director, vice president and senior vice president operations roles across prepared foods, fresh meats, poultry and case ready at Tyson Foods. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Tyson Foods from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
01—10Brandon Smith
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President Operations - Prepared Foods & Fresh Pork · Tyson Foods
Senior Vice President Operations - Prepared Foods & Fresh Pork at Tyson Foods since August 2026. Brandon Smith's other Tyson Foods roles include Senior Vice President & General Manager - Prepared Foods (2025 to 2026), Senior Vice President Operations - Prepared Foods (2024 to 2025) and Vice President Operations - Case Ready & Value-Add (2023 to 2024).
Cedric Ficklin
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Tyson Foods
Vice President Operations at Tyson Foods since August 2019, based in Springdale, Arkansas. Cedric Ficklin was Complex Manager at Tyson Foods from 2015 to 2019, Plant Manager there from 2012 to 2015 and Quality Assurance Manager from 1998 to 2012, and the profile lists the current role in the operations department at vice president level.
Coby Cost
LinkedInExperience: Managing Director of Operations · Tyson Foods
Managing Director of Operations at Tyson Foods since January 2023, leading operations across 7 manufacturing facilities with 1,400 employees and a $290M operating budget, per the profile. Coby Cost was Plant Manager and Complex Manager at Tyson Foods from 2020 to 2023 and held manufacturing and industrial engineering manager roles at Hormel Foods from 2017 to 2020.
Dustin Tippin
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Tyson Foods
Vice President Operations at Tyson Foods since May 2025, in the operations department at vice president level, based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Dustin Tippin also lists a Complex Manager role at Tyson Foods through March 2026, and the profile headline gives the current title as Vice President Operations.
Ernesto Sanchez
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Tyson Foods
Vice President Operations at Tyson Foods since March 2021, with a headline naming case ready and value add operations, and the role is listed in South Dakota. Ernesto Sanchez was General Manager at Tyson Foods from 2014 to 2021, and is based in Rogers, Arkansas.
Jason Poole
LinkedInExperience: SVP Fresh Meats Operations · Tyson Foods
SVP Fresh Meats Operations at Tyson Foods since April 2021, a role the profile places in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, and the profile also lists VP Fresh Meats Operations and Complex Manager at Tyson Foods since 2018. Jason Poole's roles sit in the operations department at senior and vice president level.
Jeremy Hank
LinkedInExperience: Former Vice President of Operations · Tyson Foods
Former Vice President of Operations at Tyson Foods (2023 to 2025), where the profile describes leading a five-complex, vertically integrated Poultry Business Unit with 8,500 team members. Jeremy Hank held Complex Manager and Plant Manager roles at Tyson Foods from 2019 to 2023 and has been Vice President of Operations at Rollease Acmeda since 2026.
Richard Shewmaker
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Operations · Tyson Foods
Director Of Operations at Tyson Foods since October 2021, based in Springdale, Arkansas. Richard Shewmaker's other Tyson Foods roles include Director Of Business Operations (2021), Managing Director of Margin Management (2018 to 2021), Managing Director Of Operations (2015 to 2018) and Division Optimization Manager (2013 to 2015).
Scott Shipferling
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Tyson Foods
Vice President Operations at Tyson Foods since April 2024, covering Prepared Foods pizza toppings, dry sausage, corn dogs and Philly steak, per the profile. Scott Shipferling was Managing Director, Group Manufacturing at Tyson Foods from 2018 to 2024 and Plant Manager- TNT Crust there from 2017 to 2018.
Tom Sharp
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Tyson Foods
Vice President Operations at Tyson Foods since January 2025, with a headline naming Prepared Foods. Tom Sharp held Complex Manager roles at Tyson Foods from 2019 to 2025, was Operations Manager there from 2014 to 2019 and Production Specialist Case Ready Beef & Pork in 2014, and the current role is listed in the operations department at vice president level.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's business area to your question, whether that is prepared foods, fresh meats, poultry or case ready operations. Check whether the person's role is current or former and when they held it, so their experience fits the period your decision depends on.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you run operations across several plants that make different prepared foods?
- 02What does moving from complex manager to vice president of operations change in the job?
- 03How do you manage operating performance and budgets across a multi-facility protein business?
Reaching Tyson Foods operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Tyson Foods operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Tyson Foods, based on profile data retrieved on October 13, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Tyson Foods operations leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Tyson Foods operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
Request a correction or removal