AUSTIN, MINN. — Hormel Foods Corp. has elevated Darren Carter from vice president of sales strategy to vice president of retail sales, East. Carter succeeds Pat Schwab, who is retiring from the company. In his new role, Carter will oversee the sales functions for all retail customers throughout the Eastern half of the United States, the company said.

“Pat has been a tremendous leader for our company and has made an outstanding impact on many sales divisions and customer relationships throughout his 37-year career with Hormel Foods,” said PJ Connor, group vice president, retail sales. “We wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. I am excited for Darren to lead our Eastern US Retail sales team. He has significant experience in sales leadership, strategic planning and building trusted relationships with our retail partners. I am confident he is well positioned to be successful in this important role.”

Carter was most recently vice president of sales for CytoSport Inc. for five years. Previously, Carter was corporate manager category sales for Hormel and previously customer business manager for Walmart at Hormel.

Carter received his bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing from Purdue University.

Schwab has been with the company since 1986 holding several sales positions as well as national sales manager. He was previously corporate manager of fresh pork sales, planning and logistics in 2000 and was elevated to director of fresh meat sales in 2004. He was later named director of fresh meats and margin optimization in 2009 and was promoted to senior vice president of sales for the consumer products sales division. He was later elevated to vice president of Hormel Food sales in 2012.

Schwab received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Northern Iowa.