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Who Is Tyson Foods CFO John Tyson? Chicken-Heir Arrested for Drunkenly Falling Asleep in the Wrong House John Tyson is the great-grandson of Tyson Foods founder John W. Tyson.

By Sam Silverman

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Courtesy of Washington County Sheriff's Department

The CFO of Tyson Foods was arrested over the weekend after a woman found him asleep in her bed in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

According to a police report obtained by local news outlet KNWA, the woman discovered John Tyson, Tyson Foods heir and great-grandson of Tyson Foods founder John W. Tyson, in her bed around 2 a.m. after he wandered in through an unlocked door. He allegedly smelled of alcohol and was unable to verbally respond to the police once dispatchers arrived on the scene.

Tyson was then taken to Washington County Jail and was charged with public intoxication and trespassing.

According to CNN, Tyson was released the same day on bond.

"We're aware of the incident and as this is a personal matter, we have no additional comment," a Tyson Foods rep said in a statement.

Tyson later apologized for his conduct in a company-wide email.

"I am embarrassed for personal conduct that is inconsistent with my personal values, the company's values and the high expectations we hold for each other here at Tyson Foods," he said in the memo obtained by The Associated Press.

"I made a serious mistake and this has caused me to reflect deeply on the impact my actions can have on others."

What Is Tyson Foods?

Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 in Springdale, Arkansas, and produces about 20% of all chicken, beef, and pork in the U.S. under its various brands including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, BallPark, Wright, Aidell's, and State Fair. Just last year the food producer brought in $47 billion in sales.

Who Is John Tyson?

John Tyson, 32, is the great-grandson of Tyson Foods founder John W. Tyson and son of the company's chairman, John H. Tyson, according to CNBC.

The chicken heir was named CFO in late September after joining Tyson Foods in 2019. Before going into the family business, he worked in investment banking, private equity, and venture capital. He is also a Harvard University graduate.

What Is John Tyson's Net Worth and Salary?

The Tyson family has a combined net worth of $3.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Since being promoted to CFO, John Tyson receives a $650,000 annual base salary, the outlet found in a separate report.

In addition to his salary, he'll also receive a performance-based bonus of $585,000 to $715,000, making his yearly paycheck around $1.2 million.

Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor

Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at Entrepreneur Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from business news, entrepreneurship, technology, and true crime, to the latest in entertainment and TV news. Sam is a graduate of Lehigh University and currently resides in NYC. 

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