Tyson Foods Outlines U.S. Olympic Involvement; Gold Medalist Mary Lou Retton Discusses Beijing Games, Tyson Relationship

Springdale, Arkansas -- August 2008 – Sponsoring the U.S. Olympic Team, providing food to U.S. athletes and honoring “Gold Medal Moms” are among the ways Tyson Foods is involved in the upcoming Olympic Games.



Tyson CEO Richard L. Bond provided details of the company’s Olympic involvement at a news conference Friday, which also featured Mary Lou Retton, 1984 Olympic gymnastics champion who is serving as a spokesperson for Tyson’s U.S. Olympic Team sponsorships.



“We’re proud of the partnership we’ve developed with U.S. Olympic Teams over the past several years,” said Bond. “Our sponsorship is a natural fit with our company’s role of providing high quality protein to hungry people, including those who are training to win gold medals.”



Tyson Foods is a sponsor of the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Olympic Teams, USA Gymnastics and U.S. Track & Field and a U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) program called F.L.A.M.E. or Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere.



In addition, Tyson has been providing food to U.S. Olympic athletes through travel nutrition kits, as well as through the USOC’s three Training Centers. The company has also provided 25,000 pounds of protein to help feed the U.S. Olympic Team at the USOC’s High Performance Training Center in Beijing.



Since teaming up with Tyson Foods in January 2008, Mary Lou Retton has worked to build awareness of the company’s support for Team USA and USA Gymnastics, traveling to the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, the Tyson American Cup in New York City and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Gymnastics in Philadelphia.



“Like many other Americans, I’m looking forward to the Beijing Games and especially the performances of the U.S. athletes,” said Retton. “I also appreciate the opportunity to be part of Tyson Foods’ sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team. As a mom, I’m especially pleased to work with a company known for providing the nutritious protein people need to remain healthy and active, whether they’re children playing at a neighborhood park or trained athletes competing at the Olympic Games.”



Retton, a dedicated mother of four daughters, served as a one of the judges for Tyson’s Gold Medal Mom™ contest, which invited Americans to honor the gold-medal deserving moms in their lives by sharing compelling stories of their moms’ selfless dedication to helping others live their dreams. The contest was developed as part of Tyson’s “Thank You, Mom” marketing campaign, which reminds families to thank mom for the simple, caring things she does every day, like putting dinner on the table.



Thousands of moms were nominated and Marcia Mitchell of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was selected as the winner. With an idea and proceeds from a garage sale, Mitchell started an educational center for children like her daughter Missy, who was born legally blind. Today, 35 years later, her organization has evolved into a nationally-recognized Christian developmental center serving children with special needs. As the winner, Mitchell has been awarded a trip for two to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, to cheer on Team USA.