Click photo to enlarge

Joseph W. Luter, III with the sculptures of Joseph W. Luter, Sr. and Joseph W. Luter, Jr. (Photo courtesy of The Smithfield Times)

The two tribute statues are located in front of the Smithfield Foods corporate complex off North Church Street.

Joseph W. Luter, Jr. set the company's culture of civic responsibility that continues today. He served a term on the town council and helped build the first community center in Smithfield, Virginia (photo above).

Five generations of Luters and several hundred members of the community of Smithfield attended an unveiling of sculptures of Joseph W. Luter, Sr. and Joseph W. Luter, Jr., who started Smithfield Foods on the site where their statues now stand.

Joseph W. Luter III told the story of how Smithfield Foods grew from a small ham business started by his father and grandfather more than 60 years ago into the producer of more than 50 brands of pork and turkey products and over 200 gourmet foods.

With more than 57,000 employees today, Smithfield Foods has changed the meatpacking industry. The Fortune 250 company has expanded abroad into countries including China, Romania and Poland. The Smithfield logo, bearing the town’s name, is trademarked. Luter III attributed much of that growth to his father and grandfather. “They gave me the opportunity. I was blessed,” he said. He also praised the employees of SFD Foods. “It took giant efforts of thousands to make this happen.”

Luter, Jr. set the company’s culture of civic responsibility that continues today. He served a term on the town council, helped build the first community center, and aided the expansion of the Trinity United Methodist Church.

Smithfield Foods Chief Executive Officer and President C. Larry Pope called the two statues, located in front of the Smithfield Foods corporate complex off North Church Street, a “signature piece” for the town. “Much of what you see in this town is attributable to the Luter family.”

Scholarship opportunities are available from the Smithfield-Luter Foundation at the following selected colleges and universities: Fayetteville State University, Iowa State University, Johnson & Wales University, Norfolk State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech), Virginia Union University and Wake Forest University.

This program is a great opportunity for our employees and their families. The Foundation will provide scholarships for dependent children or grandchildren of full-time or retired employees of the Smithfield Foods family of companies. While scholarship winners will be free to pursue any course of study they choose, preference will be given to students who demonstrate an interest in business, environmental preservation or animal husbandry, which are important issues to Smithfield Foods.

For information on how to apply, go to the Foundation website at www.SmithfieldLuterFoundation.com or contact Terry Girard at TerryGirard@SmithfieldFoods.com. Questions about scholarship programs related to individual schools should be directed to the university contacts at each school, listed on the website.

Email a Friend  |  Print Article