American Recreation Products appointed Dale Philippi to the position of president and chief executive officer. He replaces Jim Baumann, who is leaving the company.
According to a statement from American Recreation Products, Philippi has experience at consumer branded companies, including stints at Electrolux/Eureka, Inland Steel, Ernst & Young/Cap Gemini, and Black & Decker. Most recently, Philippi was the General Manager of Price Pfister, a fashion commercial plumbing fixtures brand.
Philippi also possesses an MBA, with strategy & marketing concentrations, from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business.
Philippi also possesses an MBA, with strategy & marketing concentrations, from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business.
Chris Metz, managing director of Sun Capital Partners, the private equity firm that acquired ARP as part of a hostile takeover of its parent company last year, stated, “We are very excited that Dale Philippi will be leading American Recreation Products. Dale is a proven leader with a thorough understanding of how to partner with customers to develop great products and brands. He brings the right blend of exper-ience to American Recreation Products to further its growth and enable the company to maximize its potential.”
Baumann, who previously was president of Follett College Stores, became president in October 2008 following the unexpected departure of long-time president George Grabner. Metz added, “I would like to thank Jim Baumann for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors as he pursues personal interests.”
Grabner abruptly “retired” last fall after 16 years a president, seven months after Sun Capital Securities Group LLC acquired ARPs parent company, Kellwood Corp., for $767 million in a hostile takeover. Kellwoods board of directors relented to the unsolicited bid only after Sun Capital persuaded a majority of Kellwoods shareholders that Kellwoods executives had badly mismanaged the company.
