Thomas M. Hayes

Tom Hayes serves as corporate vice president of global operations at Cargill, a provider of food, agriculture, financial and industrial products. In this role he is responsible for Environment, Health and Safety and Plant Operations across Cargill’s 1,500 diverse locations in 67 countries.

Hayes’ career at Cargill began in 1981 working in production and leadership positions within Cargill’s Corn Milling business. In 1987, Hayes transferred to Cargill Meat Solutions based in Wichita, Kansas, where he oversaw corporate engineering and purchasing functions. He later took an international assignment in Cargill’s United Kingdom processed chicken business, before returning to Wichita to serve as business unit leader of the Pork and Case-Ready businesses.

In 2005, Hayes was named president of Cargill Meat Solutions. He moved to Minneapolis in 2007 to assume an operations role overseeing global plant operations and accepted his current position as corporate vice president in 2009.

As a corporate officer and member of Cargill’s most senior leadership team, Hayes plays a key role in shaping Cargill’s corporate strategy and priorities. Additionally, Tom is an executive sponsor for Cargill’s employee led Business Resource Groups, focused on fostering an equitable, inclusive, safe and supportive business environment for all of Cargill’s 153,000 employees.

Tom currently serves as a member of Cargill’s Corporate Food Safety Risk Committee and the Strategy and Capital Committee. Outside of Cargill, Tom serves as a board member of North Star Bluescope Steel, a Cargill joint venture, Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) and the National Association of Manufactures (NAM) Board.

Hayes holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Missouri at Rolla.