Cramer Products, a leader in sports medicine and physical education products, announced the retirement of Thomas K. Rogge, president and chief executive officer, effective Sept. 30, 2014, and the appointment of Robert Mogolov to the position of general manager, effective Aug. 25, 2014. Rogge will assist Mr. Mogolov during the transition period through the end of September.
Rogge has served as Cramer’s president and CEO since joining the company in 1991. He successfully led the company out of a five-year sales slump, and in 1995 received the Ernst & Young Turnaround Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Kansas and Western Missouri region. That same year, Cramer received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award, recognizing small businesses for their dedication, resourcefulness, and perseverance. Rogge is former board member and chairman of the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Under his leadership, Cramer acquired Cosom Sporting Goods in 2004, Active Ankle in 2008, and Stromgren Athletics in 2011. In 2013 the company merged with Performance Health.
“This is a time for everyone within Cramer and Performance Health, and even across the entire athletic training and sports medicine universe, to pause, honor, and express gratitude to Tom Rogge for more than two decades of dedicated service to his company, to the Cramer brand and to the profession,” says Marshall Dahneke, chief executive officer of Performance Health. “Since Cramer’s founding more than 95 years ago, Tom is only the company’s sixth president and he has had the longest tenure of anyone outside the Cramer family. Tom and his team have accomplished great things during his years of leadership.”
Robert Mogolov has been named Cramer’s general manager, a newly created position, reporting to Rocco Mango, Performance Health’s president and chief operating officer. Mogolov, age 38, has been with Cramer since 2005, serving as director of marketing since 2012. He has worked in marketing and product development for all Cramer product categories. Mogolov is a graduate of the University of Kansas. In 2009, he received a SportsOneSource 40 Under 40 Award.
“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to fill this leadership role for Cramer,” says Mogolov. “Throughout the nine years that I’ve worked for Cramer, I’ve learned so much from Tom and all of my co-workers. I have a deep respect for the Cramer family, the company’s 95-year history, and all that the name and brand stands for in this industry. I am sincerely humbled to have been asked to lead the company and look forward to working with the talented Cramer team and Rocco to build on the remarkable success we’ve achieved under Tom’s leadership. Without a doubt, his will be big shoes to fill!”
“It has been a tremendous experience, personally and professionally, to continue the legacy that the Cramer brothers started 95 years ago,” Rogge says. “Throughout my 23 years with the company, I woke up every morning and thanked my lucky stars that we represented a brand with such a stellar reputation. The team I’ve worked with at Cramer is outstanding from top to bottom. There is a company-wide commitment to quality and service, and that employee dedication was the cornerstone of our growth over the last 20 years. It is difficult to say good-bye, but I am leaving the company in very good hands. From the day Rob walked through our door nine years ago, we knew he was a super star. I’m very proud of Rob and happy for him. He’s got a terrific team to work with and will do a great job.”
“As Tom passes the leadership torch to Rob Mogolov, the next steward of Cramer, we will build on Tom’s legacy,” concluded Dahneke. “It will be exciting to see Cramer’s next chapter unfold as the company grows and succeeds under Rob’s leadership.”
