The 90-Day Check In: Tyson Foods’ new CFO

The first 90 days on a job are hard. From getting acclimated, learning the office lingo, and determining if you should trust that person who always Slacks you gossip that keeps you entertained, it’s a lot. Getting arrested and then having to report earnings a mere week later, well, might have the best of us feeling a little overwhelmed.

John R. Tyson, Tyson Foods’s EVP and CFO found himself in this uncomfortable situation. And no, it’s no coincidence that the new CFO has the same last name as the company; he’s a nepo-baby the chairman’s son. The appointment itself caused a bit of a stir, with some wondering whether it was a governance concern to keep the top ranks in the family. Among the concerns: Would there be a conflict of interest if his performance waned? Others said his appointment could be explained as merely a family business approaching succession planning early.

On November 6, Tyson was arrested after authorities said he stumbled into the house of an unknown woman while intoxicated, and fell asleep. The story didn’t have quite the Goldilocks ending; the 32-year-old, who had already been discounted by some analysts for not having enough experience, apologized to investors and was charged with criminal trespassing. Investors, to our knowledge, did not offer the new executive porridge.

If Tyson is putting the finishing touches on his 90-day check-in report, we thought we would round up some of the main touch points.

90-Day Report Card:

• Made headlines: Yes
• Layoffs: No
• Apologized to investors: Yes
• Done earnings calls: Yes, Q4 2022 and Q1 2023—KT