Hormel Foods, a Fortune 500 global branded food company, has named Colleen Batcheler as its new senior vice president, external affairs & general counsel.
In her new role, Batcheler will be responsible for overseeing Hormel Foods' Global Legal and External Affairs function, including corporate governance and securities, M&A, intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment and legislative and regulatory affairs. She will report directly to Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods.
"We are excited to welcome Colleen to Hormel Foods as our new general counsel. Her extensive legal expertise, particularly in the food industry, makes her a valuable addition to our leadership team," said Snee. "Colleen's proven track record of success and her deep understanding of complex legal landscapes will be instrumental in driving our company forward and achieving our strategic objectives."
Batcheler brings over 25 years of legal experience to Hormel Foods, including 16 years as a general counsel. Most recently, she served as executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary for Hertz Global Holdings, a leading global vehicle rental company.
Prior to her role at Hertz, Batcheler held the position of executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Conagra Brands, one of North America's leading branded food companies. During her tenure at Conagra, she played a key role in the company's transformation into a North America-focused pure play branded food company.
Batcheler holds a J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law and a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. She also serves as an independent director of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling and is a member of its Nominating & Governance Committee.
