BRG Sports, Inc., the parent of Riddell, appointed Dan Arment as president and chief executive officer. He steps into the CEO role previously held by Terry Lee, who will become a strategic advisor to the company and continue to serve as executive chairman. In addition, Arment is being promoted to CEO of Riddell, Inc.
The change follows the sale in early April by BRG Sports of its Action Sports business, including Bell, Giro, C-Preme and Blackburn, to Vista Outdoor.
Arment joined the company 15 years ago and has held a number of key positions within the organization. In addition to his role as President of Riddell, he most recently served as Executive Vice President of BRG Sports and as President of Bell Cycling Products prior to the bike brand’s sale earlier this year. As a BRG Sports executive and board member, Arment supported the company’s divestures of its baseball/softball, hockey and action sports businesses, while also helping further its investment in head protection.
“Dan has played a critical role in the evolution of this company through his many contributions as a leader of our core football business, Riddell,” said BRG Sports Executive Chairman, Terry Lee. “As BRG Sports steps into the future with a primary focus on maximizing investments in our remaining assets, Riddell and MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System), Dan’s experience guiding Riddell to unprecedented growth and financial performance, while navigating industry challenges, positions him well for this exciting new role.”
“BRG Sports is an outstanding company made up of an extremely talented and hardworking team with featured brands like Riddell and MIPS that are performing well in the market,” said Dan Arment. “I am honored to be chosen to lead BRG Sports in the next phase of its growth and innovation.”
Since 2008, Riddell has thrived under Arment’s leadership and strengthened its position as the leader in the football helmet and protective equipment industry. The company has also diversified its business with an expanded apparel offering and emphasis on impact monitoring technologies through key acquisitions and strategic partnerships. During this time, Riddell has secured agreements with the National Football League for Riddell to continue as the exclusive provider of licensed collectibles and to serve as an Authorized Supplier of Helmets to the NFL, and renewed a multi-year partnership with USA Football, the sport’s governing body, to be the Official Helmet and Protective Equipment Partner. As the principal brand in the BRG Sports portfolio, Riddell continues to advance football helmet innovation and player protection.
Through the years, the company has evolved in name, size and scope, but the focus on head protection leadership has remained unchanged. In 2013, the company embarked on a corporate leadership transition and appointed Terry Lee as CEO and Executive Chairman following his prior involvement as a board member and former owner of Bell Sports. Lee steered the company through transformational changes including the sale and acquisition of several team and action sports businesses, while simultaneously streamlining BRG Sports’ operations, solidifying its financial strength, and driving excellence in head protection across sports.
“On behalf of the BRG Sports Board of Directors and broader ownership team, I want to sincerely thank Terry for his years of service as a trusted advisor, and most recently, as our leader,” said Fenway Partners, LLC Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Peter Lamm. “We have maintained our market leadership and secured our financial position through key strategic transactions under Terry’s guidance and look forward to continuing down a successful path under Dan’s leadership.”
Dan Arment Biography
Dan Arment joined BRG Sports in 2001 and has held a number of leadership roles at both the brand and corporate level. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President of BRG Sports, member of the BRG Sports Board of Directors, and President of Riddell. As a BRG Sports executive, Arment played a key role in several recent transactions including the divesture of the company’s Action Sports business.
Promoted to President of Riddell in June 2008, Arment has guided Riddell to unprecedented financial growth and continued market share gains. Under Arment’s leadership, Riddell has diversified its business with the development of a direct-to-consumer and e-commerce offering, expanded apparel product line, and introduction of new head impact monitoring technologies. He continues to be responsible for expanding the brand’s footprint in the sporting goods industry through its institutional sales model, key partnerships, and strategic acquisitions.
Arment began his career with the company as Vice President of Sales for the Mass Cycle Division at Bell Sports and quickly elevated in the organization to General Manager. He helped build a robust business model for the bike brand despite stiff market competition and developed strong relationships with key customers.
Before joining the BRG Sports family, Arment served as the vice president of national sales for the Speedo Division of the Authentic Fitness Corporation and served in broad sales and consumer marketing roles with such well-known brands as Playtex, Mennen and Revlon.
Arment holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colgate University, where he played football all four years.
Photos courtesy BRG Sports
