Hormel Foods Corp., parent company of Justin's, is announcing the retirement of Deanna Brady, executive vice president, retail, at the end of the fiscal year on October 27. During nearly three decades of service to Hormel Foods, she successfully led teams across both the foodservice and retail lines of business and served as a key architect of the company's results-driven culture.

The company also announces the return of John Ghingo, who will join Hormel Foods on September 2, and assume leadership of the retail segment on October 28. Ghingo is well known to Hormel Foods, having served as president of Applegate Farms LLC from 2018 through 2022. He has extensive experience in the consumer packaged goods industry and a proven track record of driving brand growth.

John Ghingo. Courtesy of Hormel Foods Corp.

"Deanna's leadership, passion for change and unwavering commitment to both our business and community have left an indelible mark on Hormel Foods. She has guided numerous businesses to record growth and has managed multi-billion-dollar divisions. While her business achievements are impressive, it is the culture that she has built that will continue to inspire us. Her impact will be felt long after she steps into this well-deserved next chapter," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods.

"I am delighted to welcome John back to Hormel Foods. He is a dynamic leader known for building strong teams and strong brands. I am confident that John is the ideal person to drive continued focus, innovation and growth within the Retail segment, aligned with our strategic priorities. His deep expertise in the consumer packaged goods space, coupled with his understanding of our business, positions him perfectly for success," Snee said.

Brady began her career with Hormel Foods in September 1996 as a foodservice territory manager in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., and held various foodservice sales positions throughout the United States. She was promoted to foodservice regional manager in Los Angeles, Calif., in 2003, and promoted to vice president, foodservice sales in 2007. She advanced to group vice president, foodservice, in 2015 and executive vice president of the company's former Refrigerated Foods division in 2019. She assumed her current position in 2022.

Brady is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and food administration. She is a registered dietitian.

After his tenure at Applegate, Ghingo served as the chief executive officer of a better-for-you snacking company owned by private equity firm Kainos Capital. Prior to Applegate, Ghingo served as the president of plant-based foods and beverages at The WhiteWave Foods Co., where he led the Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free brands. Before joining WhiteWave, he spent more than 15 years at Mondelēz International, where he held numerous leadership roles in marketing and general management, supporting brands such as Oreo, Planters, Cadbury and Trident.

Ghingo graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned his Master of Business Administration from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

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