Beth Ford
President and Chief Executive Officer
Executive
5 yr
9 reports
Land O'Lakes, Inc.
Farmer-owned cooperative led by a long-tenured CEO
Food, Beverages & Tobacco · Fortune #262 · Hybrid structure · 9K employees · Arden Hills, Minnesota
6
CEO span
↓ tighter than peers (avg 9)
3
Avg span
moderate
3
Max depth
3 levels
4 yr
Avg tenure
50%
Internal hires
near industry avg
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Land O'Lakes, Inc. organizational chart
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Farmer-owned cooperative led by a long-tenured CEO, with centralized enterprise control. This page outlines Land O'Lakes’ executive structure, key leaders, departments, and how its hybrid cooperative model compares with major food industry peers.
What to model
Use the chart to test org decisions, not just view reporting lines
Start with the public baseline, then use the scenario views and source-backed changes to ask what happens when leadership, span, or team ownership shifts.
Latest signal Beth Ford joined as President and CEO
Appointed CEO effective August 2021.
Source · See change logScenario views in the chart
- Add Chief AI Officer Introduce a Chief AI Officer to centralize data, analytics, and precision agriculture innovation.
- COO Departure: Succession Model the impact of the COO role becoming vacant and redistributing operational oversight.
Atlas work this supports
- Connect Workday or UKG Get these analytics for YOUR org — tenure, span of control, headcount, automatically from your HRIS.
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- Plan a Reorg Use this as a starting point. Model scenarios, compare structures, present options to your board.
The people
Who's running this
7 executives identified as Named Executive Officers in the most recent SEC proxy. Bar length scales with tenure.
internal
Jerry Kaminski
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Operations
6 yr
2 reports
Steve Peterson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Finance
4 yr
1 reports
Unknown
EVP, Supply Chain
Supply Chain
3 yr
0 reports
Unknown
EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Human Resources
2 yr
0 reports
Unknown
EVP, General Counsel and Secretary
Legal
4 yr
0 reports
Unknown
EVP, Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing
3 yr
0 reports
The businesses
How Land O'Lakes, Inc. divides the work
4 divisions report into the group CEO. Tile size scales with estimated headcount.
Dairy Foods
3K employees
Executive Vice President, COO (Jerry Kaminski)
Produces and markets branded dairy products including butter and cheese.
Agricultural Services
4K employees
Executive Vice President, COO (Jerry Kaminski)
Provides crop inputs, animal nutrition, and services to farmer members.
Finance
500 employees
EVP & CFO (Steve Peterson)
Oversees financial planning, accounting, treasury, and reporting.
Human Resources
300 employees
EVP, CHRO
Manages talent, culture, compensation, and workforce strategy.
The thesis
Why this org is unusual
The most distinctive structural feature of Land O'Lakes is its farmer-owned cooperative model led by a relatively long-tenured external CEO.
Unlike many Fortune 500 consumer food companies, Land O’Lakes combines enterprise-wide functional leadership with operating businesses rooted in agriculture and dairy. The CEO directly oversees a broad executive team spanning operations, finance, legal, HR, marketing, and supply chain, reflecting centralized control.
The structure blends cooperative governance with a modern enterprise model. Operations are consolidated under a powerful COO role, while corporate functions remain centralized at headquarters in Minnesota. This hybrid approach supports both scale efficiency and member-focused decision-making.
- Farmer-owned cooperative
- Centralized enterprise leadership
The comparison
How Land O'Lakes, Inc. stacks up
Compared with peers such as General Mills and Kraft Heinz, Land O’Lakes operates with fewer standalone business-unit CEOs and a more centralized enterprise structure. Its cooperative ownership distinguishes it from publicly traded competitors, reducing pressure for frequent executive turnover. The absence of a …
C-suite size
Reporting depth
Land O'Lakes, Inc.
3 levels
4 levels
5 levels
4 levels
5 levels
Avg C-suite tenure
Has COO / Has CAIO
Land O'Lakes, Inc. ✓ COO — no CAIO
Current signals
What changed recently
The most consequential recent change was Beth Ford’s appointment as CEO in 2021, bringing external leadership to the cooperative.
- Date not confirmed new
- Date not confirmed promoted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the CEO of Land O'Lakes?
Beth Ford has served as President and CEO since August 2021.
What type of organizational structure does Land O'Lakes use?
Land O'Lakes uses a hybrid enterprise structure combining centralized functions with operating businesses.
How many direct reports does Land O'Lakes's CEO have?
The CEO has six direct executive reports.
How has Land O'Lakes's leadership changed recently?
The most notable change was the appointment of Beth Ford as CEO in 2021 and subsequent strengthening of enterprise operations leadership.
Is Land O'Lakes known for internal promotions?
Yes. Several senior leaders, including the COO, advanced internally within the cooperative.
Sources
- Company Press Release, Aug 2021
- Company Newsroom, 2020
Reference
Cite this page
If you reference this page in research, analysis, or news writing, use one of the formats below. Citation includes the SEC filing source where applicable.
APA 7th
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"Land O'Lakes, Inc. Organizational Structure." Creately, April 1, 2026, https://creately.com/org-chart/fortune-500/land-olakes/. Accessed .Chicago 17
Creately. "Land O'Lakes, Inc. Organizational Structure." Last modified April 1, 2026. https://creately.com/org-chart/fortune-500/land-olakes/.Permanent URL: https://creately.com/org-chart/fortune-500/land-olakes/ · last updated 2026-04-01