Huffy Corporation announced a number of key management changes designed to streamline operations and improve the Company's focus on revenue growth and improved profitability.
William A. Smith has been named to the position of President and General Manager of Huffy Bicycle Company. Smith joined Huffy Bicycle Company as Director of Marketing in 1993 and was named to his most recent position as Vice President Sales and Marketing for Huffy Bicycle Company in 1999. Prior to joining Huffy Corporation, Smith served in a variety of sales and marketing assignments, including Vice President of Marketing with Diversified Products and Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Bell Sports. Smith will report to Paul R. D'Aloia, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.
John Collins has been appointed to the position of President and General Manager of Gen-X Sports. Collins will be responsible for the management of the Gen-X Sports branded businesses, including Tommy Armour(R), Ram(R), Teardrop(R) and Zebra(R) golf, Hespeler(R) hockey, UltraWheels(R) in-line skates, Limited(R), Lamar(R) and Sims(R) snowboards, Volant(R) skis, and other related brands and products, and will continue to lead the Corporate Marketing and Licensing efforts. Collins served in a variety of sales and marketing assignments, including that of General Manager, North America for Bauer/Nike Sports Inc. prior to joining Gen-X Sports as Company President in 1999. Collins will report to Paul R. D'Aloia, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.
James J. Salter has been named to the newly created position of President, New Business Development, Acquisition Financing and will continue in his role with the Opportunity business. In his new role Salter will take the lead role in new business development to help the Company achieve its strategic growth and profitability goals through mergers and acquisitions. Prior to his most recent role as Group President of the Gen-X Sports Group, Salter co-founded Gen-X Sports Inc. and was a co-founder of Ride Snowboards. In this new position, Salter will continue to report to Don R. Graber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Robert L. Diekman has been promoted to the newly created position of Vice President of Global Operations. In this new role, Diekman will assume responsibility for operations, purchasing, logistics and distribution for the Company, with a focus on improving supplier relations and customer service. Diekman joined Huffy Corporation in 1980 and has served in a variety of operational roles, including his most recent position as Vice President for Operations at Huffy Bicycle Company. Diekman will report to Paul R. D'Aloia, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.
Paul R. D'Aloia, President and Chief Operating Officer, commented, “In a challenging economic and retail environment, effective purchasing, excellence in customer service, brand development with value to the consumer, and a focus on opportunistic acquisitions are all key drivers for future success. These management changes put our most experienced management team in position to support our long-range strategic vision.”
