Johnson Outdoors Inc. announced the appointment of William D. Perez as an independent director effective December 4, 2018. Perez is joining the company’s Board as a Class A Director and will stand for re-election at the Annual Meeting in 2019. Perez’s addition expands the Board to nine members.
“We are very pleased to welcome Bill to Johnson Outdoors’ Board of Directors. He is a proven business leader, who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all facets of running a global company. We look forward to benefiting from his insights and counsel as we develop new strategies to enhance value to our market and our consumers,” said Helen Johnson-Leipold, chairman and CEO.
Perez is the founder of FamGen, a professional services firm specializing in consulting for family-owned businesses on all matters from strategy and planning to growth and global expansion. Perez was formerly with Greenhill and Co. Inc., an investment banking firm, after serving as a senior advisor for seven years. He retired as president and chief executive officer for the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a leading global confectioner and the world’s largest manufacturer and marketer of chewing gum, in December of 2008. Before joining the Wrigley Company, he served as president and chief executive officer of Nike, Inc. And, prior to that, Perez spent 34 years with SC Johnson and Son, Inc., including eight years as president and chief executive officer of the multi-billion dollar privately held global consumer products company.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Johnson & Johnson, and Whirlpool Corporation. In addition, he is a Presidential Counselor at Cornell University and a Member of the Director’s Circle for The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Johnson Outdoors’ brands include: Old Town canoes and kayaks; Ocean Kayak; Carlisle paddles; Minn Kota fishing motors, batteries and anchors; Cannon downriggers; Humminbird marine electronics and charts; SCUBAPRO dive equipment; Jetboil outdoor cooking systems; and, Eureka! camping and hiking equipment.
