CEO Donnie Smith of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale saw his compensation rise slightly in 2015, according to the company’s proxy filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Smith received total compensation of $12.6 million, up from $12.2 million he received in 2014. Smith’s salary increased from $1 million to $1.1 million. Other compensation included $3.3 million in option awards and $2.4 million in pension value and nonqualified deferred compensation.
Other executives and their compensation:
- John Tyson, chairman of the board: total compensation of $8.75 million, up from $8.7 million last year. Includes base salary of $910,089, up from $884,087 in 2014.
- Dennis Leatherby, executive vice president and CFO: total compensation of $4.47 million, down from $4.7 million in 2014. Includes salary of $640,862, up from $600,333 in 2014.
- Donnie King, president of North America operations: total compensation of $7.8 million, up from $6.7 million. Includes salary of $831,606, up from $784,046 in 2014.
- Noel White, president of poultry division: total compensation of $8.5 million, up from $6.2 million. Includes salary of $753,981, up from $711,114 in 2014.
Tyson Foods has scheduled its annual shareholders meeting for 10 a.m. Feb. 5 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale. Shareholders will vote to elect the company’s board of directors, re-approve the annual compensation plan for executive officers and to ratify PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the company’s independent accounting firm.
Shareholders will also have six proposals on the ballot, all of which the Tyson board of directors oppose.
The proposals include a request for Tyson to study the impact of gestation crates on hogs; a request that the company implement a policy to reduce wastewater contamination; that the company give each share an equal vote, a measure that was rejected at the 2014 shareholders’ meeting; and that the company issue a report on working conditions in processing plants.
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