Donald J. Tyson

{{Short description|American businessman (1930–2011)}} {{use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Donald J. Tyson | image = dontyson.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Donald John Tyson | birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|04|23}} | birth_place = Olathe, Kansas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2011|01|06|1930|04|21}} | death_place = Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S. | occupation = President and CEO of Tyson Foods | years_active = 1952-2001 (retirement) | spouse = | father = John W. Tyson | children = 4, including John H. Tyson | relatives = }} '''Donald John Tyson''' (April 21, 1930 – January 6, 2011)<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/business/07tyson.html|title=Donald J. Tyson, Food Tycoon, Is Dead at 80|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 6, 2011|access-date=January 6, 2011|first=Robert D.|last=McFadden|author-link=Robert D. McFadden |url-access=subscription}}</ref> was an American businessman who was the president and CEO of Tyson Foods from 1967-1991.

==Early life== Tyson was born in Olathe, Kansas. He attended the public schools in Springdale, Arkansas, and completed his education at Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri, and at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he became a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He left the University of Arkansas before earning his degree.<ref name="NYT"/>

In 1944, at age 14, Tyson was first introduced into the poultry industry as a chicken catcher and truck driver at Tyson's Feed and Hatchery, the family's poultry feed and live production business started by his father, John W. Tyson. In 1952, he left the University of Arkansas to join his father in expanding the business.<ref name=ADG>{{Cite web |date=2011-01-06 |title=Donald J. Tyson dies after battle with cancer |first=Gavin |last=Lesnick |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/jan/06/springdale-business-legend-tyson-dies/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=Arkansas Democrat Gazette }}</ref> The company opened its first poultry processing plant in 1958 on Randall Road in Springdale, with Donald Tyson as the first plant manager.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction%3DArticle%26artNum%3D4923 |title=Praise for Tyson |work=Meatnews |access-date=2006-11-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027001939/http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&artNum=4923 |archive-date=2005-10-27 }}</ref>

==President and CEO== Tyson was named president of Tyson Foods, Inc. in 1966. He was the company's CEO and chairman from 1967 to 1991, its chairman from 1991 to 1995, and its senior chairman from 1995 until his retirement in 2001. During his tenure, the company's revenue increased from $51 million to more than $10 billion, and Tyson Foods grew to become one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world. According to associates, Tyson enjoyed his job.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} In his retirement, Tyson continued as a consultant to the company and as a member of its board of directors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tyson.com/FoodService/AboutTyson/History/1950s.aspx |title=History – Era 1950s |publisher=Tyson Foods, Inc. |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111232139/http://www.tyson.com/FoodService/AboutTyson/History/1950s.aspx |archivedate=November 11, 2006 }}</ref> His son, John H. Tyson was the CEO of Tyson Foods from 1999 to 2006 and is currently{{when|date=August 2023}} chairman.

==Wealth== According to ''Forbes'' magazine, Tyson was one of the world's 1,000 richest people with a net worth over a billion dollars in March 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Donald-Tyson_TPWV.html |title=The World's Billionaires: #891 Donald Tyson |date=8 March 2007 |work=Forbes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312130137/https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Donald-Tyson_TPWV.html |archivedate=March 12, 2007}}</ref>

An avid fisherman, Tyson was on the board of directors of the International Game Fish Association.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} He founded the Billfish Foundation in 1985 and was a member of its board of directors.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 2007 |title=Donald Tyson |journal=Yachting |volume=202 |issue=1 |pages=84}}</ref>

==Death== Tyson died on January 6, 2011, from cancer. He was 80 years old.<ref name=ADG/>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category|Donald J. Tyson}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyson, Donald J.}} Category:1930 births Category:2011 deaths Category:People from Olathe, Kansas Category:People from Springdale, Arkansas Category:Arkansas Democrats Category:Deaths from cancer in Arkansas Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:Tyson Foods people Category:Kemper Military School alumni Category:University of Arkansas alumni Donald J.