SMITHFIELD, Va. – Don Butler was promoted to director of corporate affairs for Smithfield Foods Inc. He will be based in Raleigh, NC. Before his promotion, Butler served as director of government relations and public affairs. 

Don Butler, director of corporate affairs, Smithfield Foods.

Butler will be dedicated to stakeholder engagement in North Carolina, where Smithfield has its largest investment. More than 10,000 Smithfield employees are work in North Carolina. He will engage with a variety of stakeholders including elected officials, governmental and non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, private businesses and the media. He also will serve as the company’s spokesperson in North Carolina.

Butler has spent 24 years at Smithfield, where he has held a variety of roles. He was responsible for the development and implementation of the world’s first Environmental Management System (EMS) for a livestock operation, in order to achieve certification under the ISO 14001 Standard. He also led the development of a comprehensive animal care program for Smithfield using the management system approach. He also served as sustainability officer for the company’s Hog Production unit.