Easton-Bell Sports, Inc., parent of Easton, Bell, Riddell and Giro brands, appointed two new members to its board of directors. David Perdue, CEO of Aquila Group and former CEO and Chairman of Dollar General, will join the board and serve on the compensation committee. Michael Wilskey, former brand and marketing executive at Nike, was also named to the board. Both appointments are effective immediately.
“David and Mike have strong sporting goods experience, something that will benefit Easton-Bell Sports as we continue to drive innovation in our product line and create global growth opportunities across our brand portfolio,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Harrington.
Perdue, 61, is currently the CEO of Aquila Group LLC, a private investment firm that is involved with, among other investments, retail markets in India. From 2003 to 2007, he served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Dollar General Corporation. His prior experience includes serving as president of the Reebok brand, in addition to executive positions with Haggar and Sara Lee. He currently serves on the board of directors of Graphic Packaging Holding Corporation, Cardlytics, Inc., Liquidity Service, Inc., and Alliant Energy Corporation. Previously, he served on the Boards of Jo-Ann Stores and Pillowtex Corporation. Perdue holds a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering and a master's degree in Operations Research from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Wilskey, 54, a 25-year Nike veteran, held numerous executive brand marketing, product innovation, international, and category management roles during his tenure.
In his most recent role as vice president of brand management before retiring in 2009, Wilskey was responsible for developing the brand management, product innovation, and portfolio strategies for the Nike affiliates group, including the Converse, Hurley, Cole Haan, Bauer Nike Hockey, and Umbro brands. Wilskey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.
