John H. Tyson

John Tyson (born September 5, 1953) is an American billionaire heir and businessman. He was chief executive officer (CEO) of the family business, Tyson Foods, from 2000 to 2006 and has been chairman of the board since 1998.

Biography

Early life Tyson was born on September 5, 1953, in Springdale, Arkansas. His grandfather was John W. Tyson, the founder of Tyson Foods.

John and other senior managers helped develop Tyson Foods’ “Core Values.” He also created the company's first Executive Diversity Business Council. In 2012, the museum received a $5 million donation from the Tyson family and Tyson Foods, Inc., to establish the Tyson Scholars of American Art program and the Don Tyson Prize. In 2016, the museum received a $200,000 Don Tyson Prize.

He is the founder of the Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which opened in 2004. Tyson gave “much of the input on the course design” according to Robert Trent Jones Jr., a golf course architect for Blessings.

Tyson is a member of the University of Arkansas System's Board of Trustees.

He is also on the board of directors of the Walden Woods Project. Like his late father, he collects art and owns paintings by Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

In 2006, Tyson received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship. In 2011, he was included on Arkansas Business’ “Power List.”

Tyson is also a long-time fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks. In 2024, Tyson played “a key role” in bringing the new Arkansas men's basketball head coach, hall-of-famer John Calipari, to the school. In March 2025, Tyson donated $5 million to create a NIL budget for Calipari to help recruit players.