10 Things You Didn’t Know about Hormel Foods CEO Jim Snee

Jim Snee is the man responsible for running Hormel Foods as not just its CEO but also its President and its Chairman of the Board. Generally speaking, Hormel Foods should be most familiar to most people through its brands, which happen to include some very well-known names. For instance, those who are curious might be interested to known that SPAM is actually a Hormel Foods brand. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Hormel Foods CEO Jim Snee:

1. Went to New Mexico State University

According to Bloomberg, Snee went to New Mexico State University for his undergraduate education. For those who are curious, New Mexico State University came into existence because of the merger of Las Cruces College and the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, thus making it the oldest public institution of higher education that can be found in its state.

2. Studied Marketing

The same source mentions that Snee studied marketing for his Bachelor of Arts degree. Suffice to say that marketing is a very popular choice for people who head into business, which makes sense because there are very, very few businesses out there that can get by without having to get involved in marketing to some extent. For that matter, the subject sees plenty of use in the non-commercial spheres as well for the simple reason that effective and efficient communication is a huge concern for a wide range of people and parties.

3. Went to the University of St. Thomas

Besides New Mexico State University, Snee went to the University of St. Thomas as well. To be exact, he went to the one that can be found in the Twin Cities, which needs to be pointed out because St. Thomas Aquinas is a figure that is often associated with schools. Something that makes perfect sense once one learns that he is considered to be the patron saint of students.

4. Studied Business Administration

At the University of St. Thomas, Snee studied Business Administration, which culminated in him receiving a Master of Business Administration degree. It is interesting to note that such programs tend to be very wide-ranging in nature because they need to prepare their students to handle a wide range of problems under a wide range of circumstances. Moreover, they are very much aimed at people seeking to enter the ranks of senior management, which explains why they are so common among CEOs and other executives.

5. Joined Hormel Foods in 1989

There can be no doubt about the fact that Snee is a true veteran of Hormel Foods. After all, he joined up with the corporation in 1989, meaning that he can claim around three decades’ worth of experience with its operations at various levels. This is supported by the fact that Snee has held the responsibilities of positions that range from sales and marketing to supply chain management.

6. Has Considerable International Business Experience

In particular, it is worth mentioning that Snee is said to have considerable experience with international business matters. Something that has become more and more common on CEO bios for the simple reason that corporations have seen incredible opportunities in international markets in recent decades. In any case, it is interesting to note that Snee’s profile on the Hormel Foods website claims that he had led the corporation’s progress in becoming a global player in its chosen market, which makes sense because one of the positions that he held before reaching the top was being the person in charge of running its international portfolio.

7. Presides Over a Respected Corporation

Speaking of which, it is interesting to note that the same profile boasts about Snee presiding over a corporation that is well-regarded by high-profile publications such as Forbes and Fortune. Essentially, these boasts are centered on Hormel Foods’ efforts in being a better corporate citizen, as shown by its sense of responsibility to something more than just the pursuit of profit as well as its willingness to show this sense through both its efforts and its donations. Corporate social responsibility hasn’t become universal by any stretch of that term, but it has definitely managed to become more prominent in recent times, not least because of its very practical benefits.

8. Has Overseen Acquisitions

Given his past position, it should come as no surprise to learn that Snee has overseen acquisitions, which are one of the most popular methods by which corporations can expand their market presence. However, if people need more support for this claim, consider Food Business News’s description of Snee’s involvement in the acquisition of Applegate.

9. Willing to Be More Flexible When It Comes to Acquisitions

Generally speaking, when companies buy out other companies, the procedure is to integrate their operations into its own operations. This is a complicated and time-consuming process that comes with plenty of potential pitfalls, but it is nonetheless attractive because it ensures that everyone is on the same metaphorical page when it comes to their further operations. However, it is interesting to note that Snee has been more hands-off when it comes to Applegate in the sense that the two didn’t combine their operations in the traditional sense. Instead, they opted for what is better-described as a kind of coordination, which was facilitated by teams from both sides visiting the other at their place of operation.

10. Saw Applegate As a Convenient Way to Expand into a Lucrative Market

As for why Snee was interested in Applegate, suffice to say that it was a convenient way to expand into the growing market for ethical, natural, and healthy food, which is something that a lot of food businesses have been moving into because of the opportunities that it provides to interested parties. By buying Applegate, Hormel Foods was able to boost its presence without having to spend time, effort, and other resources to build it up.

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