Tyson Foods on Wednesday announced that Donnie King will succeed Dean Banks as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective immediately. Banks is leaving the company and board of directors for personal reasons.

“The board and I know that Donnie has a deep understanding of our business, values and culture and the solid leadership skills needed to continue to implement our strategy and deliver strong results,” chairman of the board John H. Tyson said. “We want to express our appreciation to Dean for his contributions as a board member and executive.”

“Being a part of Tyson Foods has been a very rewarding experience,” Banks said. “Upon deep personal reflection, and discussions with my family, the board, and my colleagues, I believe that stepping down and concentrating on my family is the right decision at this time.”

“I’m humbled but excited about leading Tyson Foods, a company that feeds millions of people and means so much to me personally,” King said. “I believe we need to be sharply focused on operating with excellence, executing our strategies, and continuing to innovate across our businesses throughout the world. With our strong leadership team, we are committed to winning with our customers and delivering an outstanding team member experience.”

Banks succeeded Noel White as President and CEO on October 3, 2020, having first joined Tyson Foods in 2017 and was named president in 2019. Prior to joining the company, Banks was a Project Lead and on the Leadership Team at X (formerly Google X), an Alphabet Inc. company. He had held various executive positions within technology firms in Silicon Valley.

White remains on Tyson Foods board of directors as vice chairman of the board.

King has more than 36 years of experience in the protein business, first joining the company in 1982. He has held positions in “virtually all facets of the company including poultry, beef, pork, prepared foods and international,” Tyson Foods’ press release said, naming its five business segments. King was most recently chief operating officer and has served as group president of Tyson Foods’ poultry segment.

King is a former member of the executive committee of the National Chicken Council’s board of directors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.