AUSTIN, MINN. — Hormel Foods Corp. is shifting vice presidents Lynn Egner and Natosha Walsh to new posts in its foodservice and retail divisions following recent foodservice leadership changes.

Plans call for Egner, vice president of retail sales for the West, to become vice president of foodservice sales. In announcing the move on Feb. 3, Austin, Minn.-based Hormel noted that her appointment comes just days after the promotion of David Weber to group vice president of foodservice, succeeding Mark Ourada, who is retiring after 37 years with the food company.

As foodservice sales vice president, Egner will oversee the sales team and strategy for the foodservice business segment. Hormel said she will lead the development and implementation of the division’s sales plans for the foodservice and convenience channels, foster execution and culture development of the direct sales team, and oversee key customer relationships across all foodservice channels.

Egner has held the vice president of retail sales for the West post since November 2022. The 27-year company veteran joined Hormel in 1997 in the foodservice sales organization and moved up to positions of rising authority and responsibility, including at the national level. In July 2014, she was promoted to director of distributor trade development for foodservice and then in March 2018 became director of sales for Hormel Foods Deli Solutions.

“Lynn is a dynamic leader with extensive experience in developing meaningful, long-term customer relationships in both our foodservice and retail segments,” said James P. Snee, president and chief executive officer of Hormel. “She is well-positioned to lead our incredible team of foodservice sales experts.”

Taking over from Egner as vice president of sales for the West will be Walsh, who currently is vice president of marketing for retail, convenient meals and proteins. In her new role, she will direct the company’s retail sales strategy and execution with customers in the western United States.

Walsh has been with Hormel for more than 25 years and has been vice president of marketing for retail, convenient meals and proteins since July 2023. She joined the company in 1999 and has held roles of increasing responsibility in brand management, sales, trade and category management, customer account leadership and supply chain. She became vice president of sales in 2018 and advanced to vice president of retail sales for national chains in 2022.

“Natosha has a wealth of sales and marketing expertise that will enable her to drive innovative strategies, strengthen customer partnerships and deliver impactful results,” Snee said. “She is adept at creating solutions for our customers and will be integral to driving the continued strategic growth of our retail sales organization.”

A 33-year Hormel veteran, Weber began his career at Hormel in 1992 and has held several US foodservice sales and product manager positions. In 2006, he was named foodservice regional manager in Charlotte, NC, and then six years later was appointed president of Hormel subsidiary Burke Corp. Next, he became vice president of foodservice marketing in October 2015 before assuming his most recent role as vice president of foodservice sales in February 2018.

“David brings a wealth of experience to his new role, from his work in Hormel foodservice to his leadership of our Burke organization,” Snee said. “He played a pivotal role in the success of Burke and was instrumental in the smooth on-boarding of the Fontanini business, one of our most impactful foodservice acquisitions to date. His leadership, expertise and commitment to fostering a strong culture will be a tremendous asset to the foodservice business segment.”

In announcing Ourada’s retirement plans on Jan. 30, Hormel credited him with playing an active role in the development and evolution of the company’s $3.8 billion foodservice business, as well as with being “instrumental” in the integration of the Planters brand, acquired in June 2021, and helping spur growth in the convenience store channel.

“Throughout his career, Mark has been a great steward of our business, strengthening our foodservice leadership position and driving industry-leading growth,” Snee said. “We are grateful for his vision, commitment and focus on delivering innovative products that support foodservice operators and meet their customers’ needs.”

In mid-January, Hormel announced that it has begun a search for a new CEO to succeed Snee, who plans to retire at the end of 2025. The company said its board of directors has formed a search committee to identify Snee’s replacement, with internal and external candidates being considered. Snee was re-elected as a director at Hormel’s Jan. 28 shareholder meeting, with William Newlands, a Hormel director since November 2018 and the president and CEO of Constellation Brands, taking the reins as Hormel’s chairman effective this month. Snee has been Hormel’s CEO since October 2016 and served as chairman since October 2017.