Leland Edward Tollett was born in Nashville, Howard County, Arkansas, on January 21, 1937.
Tollett received a two-year degree from Southern State College before earning B.S. and M.S. degrees in poultry science and nu trition from the University of Arkansas .
Tollett began working in research for Tyson Feed and Hatchery in 1959 and remained there through their expansion into Tyson Foods, Inc. , rising to president and CEO before retiring in 1998 . He was asked to return to Tyson Foods as interim president and CEO in 2009 to guide the company through an industry -wide downturn . He has served on the board of the National Chicken Council and as board dir ector of Worthen Banking Corp. and J . B . Hunt Transport Services , Inc .
#1: Composite image of early photo of Leland Tollett and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Leland Tollett's parents, Gladys Virginia and Virgil Elisha Tollett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Leland Tollett with his mother, Gladys Virginia Tollett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Leland Tollett as an infant, 1937
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Leland Tollett as an infant, 1937
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Leland Tollett (left) with his brother, James, 1937
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Leland Tollett's school picture, Nashville, Arkansas, 1945
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Leland Tollett's school picture, Nashville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Lelend Tollett as a child
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Leland Tollett as a child
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Leland Tollett's school picture, Nashville, Arkansas, 1948-49
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Leland Tollett (center), Houston Fat Stock Show & Livestock Exposition; Houston, Texas, 1956
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Leland Tollett's student portrait, University of Arkansas, 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Leland Tollett in Air Force uniform; San Antonio, Texas, 1960
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Leland Tollet's fiance, Betty Ruth Blew, in her engagement photo, 1961
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Leland Tollet's wife, Betty Tollett, in her wedding dress, June 1961
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Betty and Leland Tollett on their wedding day, June 2, 1961
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Leland Tollett's wife, Betty Tollett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Leland Tollett at Tyson Foods
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Leland Tollett's daughter, Terri, and his son, Gary, 1967
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Leland Tollett (2nd from right) on American Spotlight
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Leland Tollett (center front), Beijing, China
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Leland Tollett at the Great Wall of China
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Leland Tollett with his grandson, 1993
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Leland Tollett in front of photo of John Tyson; ca. 1990s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Leland and Betty Tollett on their anniversary
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Leland and Betty Tollett, August 1996
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Leland Tollett, University of Arkansas Distinguished Alumnus
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Leland Tollett portrait
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Leland Tollett portrait, 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Leland Tollett; Rogers, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Leland Tollett; Rogers, Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Leland Tollett; Rogers Arkansas, 2010
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
