Sean M. Connolly is the President & CEO of Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG), one of North America’s leading branded food companies with over 100 iconic brands including Slim Jim, Birds Eye, Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Duncan Hines, and Reddi-wip. Connolly has led Conagra since April 2015, transforming the company from a commodity-heavy conglomerate into a branded food powerhouse. His landmark achievement was the $10.9 billion acquisition of Pinnacle Foods in 2018, making Conagra the second-largest U.S. frozen food company. A consumer packaged goods veteran with three decades of experience at Procter & Gamble, Campbell Soup, Sara Lee, and Hillshire Brands, Connolly earned approximately $13.1 million in total compensation for FY2025.

Sean Connolly – Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Sean M. Connolly earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, one of the top private research universities in the United States. He later earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, where he developed the analytical and strategic skills that would propel his career in consumer packaged goods.

Details about Connolly’s upbringing and early life are not widely publicized. What is known is that his academic foundation at Vanderbilt and UT Austin laid the groundwork for a career that would take him through some of the most recognizable consumer brands in America, starting at Procter & Gamble and ultimately leading to the CEO chair at Conagra Brands.

Career

Sean Connolly’s career spans more than three decades in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, progressing from brand management to the CEO suite at multiple major companies.

Career Timeline

Procter & Gamble

Connolly began his career at Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest consumer goods company. Over the course of nearly two decades, he held various brand management roles, developing deep expertise in marketing, consumer insights, and brand strategy that would become the hallmark of his leadership style throughout his career.

Campbell Soup Company

Connolly rose to become President of Campbell Soup North America, where he led the company’s largest division. At Campbell’s, he was responsible for overseeing iconic brands including Campbell’s condensed and chunky soups, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, and V8. His tenure at Campbell’s gave him hands-on experience managing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of established consumer brands.

Sara Lee & Hillshire Brands

After Campbell Soup, Connolly joined Sara Lee Corporation as CEO of North American Retail and Foodservice. When Sara Lee split into two publicly traded companies in 2012, Connolly became President & CEO of The Hillshire Brands Company, the spin-off that retained the North American food business with brands like Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, and Sara Lee frozen bakery products.

In 2014, Hillshire Brands became the center of a dramatic bidding war between Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods. Tyson ultimately won with a $7.7 billion offer, delivering a massive premium to Hillshire shareholders. This successful sale cemented Connolly’s reputation as a deal-savvy CEO who could unlock shareholder value.

CEO of Conagra Brands

Sean Connolly joined Conagra Brands (then known as ConAgra Foods) as President & CEO in April 2015. When he arrived, the company was a sprawling conglomerate with a mix of branded consumer foods and commodity-style businesses including Lamb Weston (frozen potato products) and commercial food ingredients.

Strategic Transformation

Connolly immediately began reshaping Conagra’s portfolio with a clear strategy: divest commodity businesses and focus on branded, higher-margin consumer food products. Key strategic moves under his leadership include:

• Spin-off of Lamb Weston (2016) — separated the frozen potato business into a publicly traded company, now worth over $10 billion
• Sale of private-label operations — divested the Ralcorp private-label business that ConAgra had acquired in 2013
• Acquisition of Pinnacle Foods (2018) — the $10.9 billion deal added Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Vlasic, Gardein, and other brands, making Conagra the #2 U.S. frozen food company behind Nestle
• Rebranding to Conagra Brands (2017) — renamed from ConAgra Foods to reflect the company’s focus on branded products
• Innovation investment — built the Conagra Brands Center for Food Design, a 40,000 sq. ft. innovation center in Chicago

Brand Portfolio

Under Connolly’s leadership, Conagra now manages over 100 branded food products spanning frozen meals, snacks, condiments, and grocery staples. Major brands include:

• Frozen: Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Banquet, Birds Eye, P.F. Chang’s Home Menu
• Snacks: Slim Jim, David Seeds, Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke’s
• Grocery: Hunt’s, Rotel, PAM, Vlasic, Peter Pan, Swiss Miss
• Baking: Duncan Hines, Reddi-wip

Leadership & Achievements

Sean Connolly’s decade-long tenure at Conagra Brands has been defined by bold strategic moves and a relentless focus on branded innovation. Key achievements include:

• Portfolio transformation: Successfully transitioned Conagra from a commodity-heavy conglomerate to a pure-play branded food company
• Pinnacle Foods integration: Integrated the $10.9B acquisition, adding iconic brands like Birds Eye and Duncan Hines
• Innovation leadership: Invested heavily in food innovation, launching hundreds of new products across frozen, snacks, and staples
• Chicago headquarters: Relocated the company headquarters from Omaha, Nebraska to Chicago in 2016 to attract top talent
• Strong free cash flow: Generated $1.3 billion in free cash flow in FY2025
• Board leadership: Serves on the board of SC Johnson and chairs the Economic Club of Chicago

Personal Life

Sean M. Connolly keeps his personal life relatively private. He is based in the Chicago, Illinois area, where Conagra Brands is headquartered at the historic Merchandise Mart. Despite his high-profile role as CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Connolly has managed to keep details about his spouse, children, and family largely out of the public eye.

Outside of his corporate responsibilities, Connolly is actively involved in nonprofit and community organizations. He serves on the board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, one of Chicago’s premier healthcare institutions, and maintains a connection to his alma mater through his involvement with Vanderbilt University. He also serves as board chair of the Economic Club of Chicago, one of the Midwest’s most prestigious business organizations.

Connolly is a member of the board of directors of SC Johnson, the privately held consumer products company known for brands like Raid, Glade, Windex, and Ziploc.

Sean Connolly Net Worth & Salary

As of 2026, Sean Connolly’s net worth is estimated at approximately $6–10 million, based on his disclosed stock holdings and SEC filings. Connolly directly owns approximately 217,607 shares of Conagra Brands stock, valued at roughly $4 million at current prices. Combined with accumulated cash compensation, investment income, and prior payouts from the Hillshire Brands sale, his total net worth is likely at the higher end of this range.

Conagra Brands CEO Compensation (FY2024 vs FY2025)

Conagra Brands Financial Summary (FY2025)

How to Contact Sean Connolly – Conagra Brands CEO Email

Below are the official contact details and resources for reaching Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly:

Conagra Brands Competitors

Conagra Brands operates in the highly competitive packaged food industry. Major competitors include:

• Kraft Heinz — condiments, sauces, and frozen foods
• General Mills — cereal, snacks, frozen meals
• Nestle — global food giant, #1 in frozen foods
• Campbell Soup Company — soups, snacks (Connolly’s former employer)
• Hormel Foods — meat products, Skippy peanut butter
• Tyson Foods — protein brands (acquired Connolly’s Hillshire Brands)
• J.M. Smucker — coffee, pet food, frozen handhelds
• TreeHouse Foods — private-label packaged foods

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the CEO of Conagra Brands?

The current CEO of Conagra Brands is Sean M. Connolly, who has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since April 2015. He was previously CEO of The Hillshire Brands Company and held senior roles at Campbell Soup and Procter & Gamble.

What is Sean Connolly’s salary?

Sean Connolly earned $13.1 million in total compensation for fiscal year 2025, down from $24 million in FY2024. His base salary is approximately $1.4 million, with the majority of compensation coming from stock awards and performance-based incentives.

What is Sean Connolly’s net worth?

As of 2026, Sean Connolly’s net worth is estimated at $6–10 million, based on disclosed stock holdings of approximately 217,607 shares of Conagra Brands stock and accumulated earnings from his career as CEO of multiple companies.

What brands does Conagra own?

Conagra Brands owns over 100 brands including Slim Jim, Birds Eye, Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Duncan Hines, Hunt’s, Reddi-wip, Orville Redenbacher’s, Banquet, Vlasic, Peter Pan, Swiss Miss, PAM, Gardein, and many more.

What was Conagra’s biggest acquisition?

Conagra’s largest acquisition was the $10.9 billion purchase of Pinnacle Foods in 2018, which added brands like Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Vlasic, and Gardein to the Conagra portfolio, making it the second-largest U.S. frozen food company.

What is Sean Connolly’s education?

Sean Connolly holds a B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.

What is Conagra Brands CEO email address?

Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly can be reached at [email protected]. Investor relations and press inquiries can be directed through conagrabrands.com.

Is Conagra Brands profitable?

Yes, Conagra Brands is profitable. In fiscal year 2025, the company reported net income of $1.2 billion on revenue of $11.6 billion, with $1.3 billion in free cash flow and an operating margin of 11.8%.

Conclusion

Sean M. Connolly has established himself as one of the most impactful CEOs in the packaged food industry during his decade-long tenure at Conagra Brands. Through bold acquisitions, strategic divestitures, and relentless brand innovation, he has transformed the company from a commodity-focused conglomerate into a focused, branded food powerhouse with over 100 household-name brands. His track record at Hillshire Brands, Sara Lee, and Campbell Soup before Conagra demonstrates a career-long expertise in building and revitalizing consumer food brands. With Conagra generating $1.2 billion in net income and $1.3 billion in free cash flow in FY2025, Connolly continues to deliver results as one of the food industry’s most experienced leaders.

Article last updated: March 2026