Sheehan’s distinguished career at Hormel Foods spans more than four decades, including the last five years as chief financial officer for the company’s global operations. Sheehan plans to retire at the end of the calendar year.
Smiley, who will succeed Sheehan upon his retirement, joined Hormel Foods in 2021 as group vice president of corporate strategy after two decades in financial and accounting leadership at LyondellBasell, General Electric and others. Since joining Hormel Foods, Smiley has been leading the company’s overall corporate strategy while serving as a member of the senior leadership team. As chief financial officer, she will lead all aspects of the Hormel Foods financial strategy, performance, reporting and long-range business planning, as well as investor relations, treasury, tax, accounting and internal controls. Smiley will also oversee the company’s information technology area.
Sheehan’s career with Hormel Foods began in 1978. Over the years, he held various management and leadership positions in accounting and finance for the company. In 1998, he became the president of Hormel Financial Services and a year later became treasurer. He advanced to vice president and controller in 2000. He was named chief accounting officer in May 2016 and assumed the role of senior vice president and chief financial officer in October 2016. He was named executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2019.
Prior to joining Hormel Foods in March 2021, Smiley was vice president and chief accounting officer for LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. She spent 20 years with General Electric in various roles across multiple industries, rising to chief financial officer for GE Oil and Gas North America. In addition, she held other senior roles within GE Capital and GE’s industrial businesses. Smiley began her career at Arthur Andersen and then joined United Technologies, where she worked throughout the United States, Europe, Middle East and Asia, ultimately becoming the finance manager of United Technologies’ regional treasury center in the United Kingdom.
