Simmons Foods named Johnny Bullington as the new president of Simmons Prepared Foods.
Bullington succeeds Joel Sappenfield, who retired after leading the business unit with distinction for several years.
Bullington has extensive experience from 19 years in the poultry industry, including key roles at both Simmons and Tyson Foods. He began his career at Simmons in 2006 as a Production Accountant and has held several leadership positions in finance, accounting, and supply chain.
His most recent role at Simmons since 2024 was senior vice president of business operations.
“Johnny’s background and deep understanding of our business position him well to lead Simmons Prepared Foods through the next phase of growth,” said David Jackson, chief operating officer of Simmons Foods. “He is the right person to guide us as we continue to grow and build a strong future with our customers and team members.”
“I am excited and honored to take on this new role at Simmons Prepared Foods,” said Bullington. “Simmons has always been a company that puts people first, and that’s something I truly value. I look forward to building on the strong foundation Joel has laid and continuing to lead this team toward even greater success.”
Bullington holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Central Arkansas and an MBA from John Brown University. He lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife Kati and their two children, Sadler and Ellery.
