Hormel Foods Corporation announced the planned retirement of two long-term employees. James A. Jorgenson, senior vice president, staff services, and Dr. Forrest D. Dryden, vice president, research and development, will both complete careers at the end of the year.

Effective with Jorgenson's retirement, his former responsibilities will be restructured. William F. Snyder, currently vice president operations, refrigerated foods, will advance to senior vice president, supply chain, and David P. Juhlke, currently vice president, human resources and administration at Jennie-O Turkey Store, will be promoted to vice president, human resources.

Dryden will be succeeded by Dr. Phillip L. Minerich as the new vice president, research and development. The company's quality assurance initiatives will be led by Bryan D. Farnsworth, who advances to vice president. Farnsworth will report to Snyder upon Dryden's retirement.

Succeeding Snyder as vice president operations, refrigerated foods, is Bruce R. Schweitzer, currently general manager at the Austin, Minn., plant facility. Schweitzer will report to Gary Ray, executive vice president, refrigerated foods.

The board elected Julie H. Craven, currently director of corporate communications, to vice president of the company's corporate communications. Craven will continue to report to James W. Cavanaugh, senior vice president and general counsel.

Since 1999, Jorgenson has been senior vice president of corporate staff with responsibilities that comprise the personnel and human resource functions, purchasing, logistics, customer service, industrial engineering, company air and fleet transportation, and engineering operations.

Jorgenson had been vice president of human resources since December 1991. During his 35 years with the company, he served as a supervisor, superintendent and personnel manager at various plants, as well as manager of plants in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Fremont, Neb.; and Austin. He was also vice president of manufacturing.

"Jim has been instrumental in moving Hormel Foods forward in labor and employee relations, which has been critical to the company's success," said Joel Johnson, chief executive officer and chairman of the company. "He leaves a legacy of operations excellence, high efficiency, and industry leading employee safety. On behalf of the company, we extend best wishes to both Jim and his wife, Mickey."

A Minnesota native, Jorgenson graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., with a bachelor of arts degree, majoring in economics and political science.

Dryden joined Hormel Foods in 1981. Dryden, a South Dakota native, earned a bachelor of science degree in animal production from Colorado State University in 1965. He earned his master's degree in animal science and a doctorate degree in agricultural biochemistry and nutrition from the University of Arizona in 1967 and 1971, respectively.

"Hormel Foods has advanced its leadership position in both food safety and product innovation during Dryden's 24-year tenure," said Johnson. "All of us appreciate his contributions and wish him and his wife, Karen, all the best in their retirement."

Snyder began his career at the Austin plant in June 1980 as an industrial engineer and, later, held similar positions at plants in Stockton, Calif., and Seattle, Wash. In February 1989, he transferred to the corporate headquarters as staff industrial engineer.

In August 1991, Snyder was named supervisor of grocery products production at the Austin plant and, in October of that year, advanced to superintendent of grocery products production. He was selected manager of industrial engineering at the Austin plant in February 1992.

Snyder was promoted to manager of the Beloit, Wis., grocery products manufacturing plant in March 1995 and advanced to manager of the Fremont plant in January 1996. Snyder transferred to corporate headquarters as director of fresh pork operations in 1999 and later was promoted to vice president of operations, refrigerated foods.

Snyder is a 1980 graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Platteville with a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology.

Juhlke, a 22-year company veteran, will relocate to Austin and assume his new responsibilities including benefits, labor relations and personnel for the parent company. His first assignment was in Ottumwa, Iowa, as an industrial engineer. He then moved to the corporate office and assumed responsibility for compensation. He gained additional personnel management experience at the Beloit facility and, in 1996, transferred to Jennie-O Foods as director of human resources. In 2001, Juhlke was promoted to vice president of human resources and administration at Jennie-O Turkey Store.

Juhlke is a 1982 graduate of the University of Wisconsin -- Stout with a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology with an emphasis in manufacturing engineering.

Minerich will oversee product development, regulatory compliance and food safety. A Hormel Foods employee for 27 years, Minerich started in the quality control department at the Austin plant in July 1976. He served in various supervisory positions at the Austin, Minn., and Davenport, Iowa, facilities. In May 1983, Minerich was named corporate manager of sanitation at the headquarters in Austin.

In September 1988, Minerich joined the research and development division as a food technologist and advanced to senior food technologist in March 1991. He was promoted in January 1996 to research scientist of packaging and advanced to development leader of new interventions in July 2002.

A native of Medina, Ohio, Minerich received a bachelor of science degree in food technology at The Ohio State University in Columbus in 1976. He earned his master's and doctorate degrees in food science at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul in 1990 and 2002, respectively.

Farnsworth's career with Hormel Foods began in 1981 in the Fremont facility. He advanced through quality assurance assignments at the corporate office, Austin, and Beloit production locations. In 1991, Farnsworth transferred to the Jennie-O Foods facility in Willmar, Minn., as director of quality assurance. Farnsworth was named plant manager at the Willmar (Benson Ave.) facility in 1995 and later at the newly opened turkey facility in Montevideo, Minn. In 1996, he advanced to director of quality management at Hormel Foods corporate headquarters overseeing all quality assurance efforts for the company.

Farnsworth is a 1980 graduate of Western Michigan University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in manufacturing administration.

Schweitzer brings extensive operations experience to the position of vice president operations in the refrigerated foods group. In his 31-year career with Hormel Foods, he had a range of assignments across product categories, including general manager at four locations. Schweitzer also served as vice president, production, and senior vice president, sales and marketing, at Jennie-O Foods. He will be responsible for all operations in refrigerated foods, including pork operations.

Schweitzer is a 1973 graduate of Drury College, Springfield, Mo., with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration.

Craven has been director of corporate communications for the company since March 2001. She oversees all stakeholder communications, including employee communications, media relations, crisis communications, publications, media services and Spam Museum and Spam Shop operations, as well as serving as administrator of the company's scholarship programs, matching gift program and Hormel Foods Charitable Trust.

A 17-year employee, Craven began her career as director of consumer affairs in May 1988. She transferred to foodservice in 1995 as product manager and was promoted to senior product manager of foodservice in 1998. Prior to joining Hormel Foods, Craven gained operations and marketing services experience at Kraft Foods and was a food editor at Meredith Corporation for the Better Homes and Gardens special-interest publications.

Craven is a 1977 graduate of Iowa State University where she earned a bachelor of science degree in nutrition and dietetics. In 1979, she was awarded a master's degree in food science from the University of Missouri.