K2 Inc. announced an expansion of its management ranks and the consolidation of senior executives into the company’s headquarters facility in Carlsbad, California.
K2’s senior executive team has been augmented with the appointments of Dudley W. Mendenhall, as senior vice president — finance with responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and investment community relations, and Monte H. Baier, as vice president and general counsel. Further, John J. Rangel, a 19-year veteran of K2 and most recently senior vice president — finance, has been appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer. All three executives report to Richard J. Heckmann, chairman and chief executive officer.
Also relocating to the executive offices is J. Wayne Merck, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Merck was promoted in October 2002 from executive vice president — operations for K2 Inc. Previously, he served as president of K2’s Shakespeare division in Newberry, South Carolina, among other leadership posts during his 12-year career with the company.
“We have strengthened our executive team to match the requirements of our aggressive plans to build a commanding position for K2 in the sports and leisure industries,” Heckmann said. “We intend to more fully realize the K2 opportunity through a combination of strategic acquisitions, internal growth, brand support and extensions. Our expanded leadership group brings together seasoned K2 executives with experienced new executives to form a talented team to execute on our game plan.”
Mendenhall brings more than 20 years of corporate finance and banking experience to his new position. Most recently he served as senior partner for Ernst & Young’s west coast corporate finance practice, as well as managing director and industry head for E&Y’s entertainment and media practice. Previously, Mendenhall was managing director and group head of Banc of America Securities entertainment and media industry group in Los Angeles and New York, and held several other executive positions with Banc of America, United Banks of Colorado (now Wells Fargo Bank), and Chase Manhattan Latin America. He is a cum laude graduate in economics from Colorado College.
Baier most recently served as associate general counsel for Asia Global Crossing, where he was involved in regulatory matters, including significant SEC work, along with mergers and acquisitions. He began his legal career as an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York and London, working in the corporate law department on mergers and acquisitions, securities matters and bank financings. He earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
K2 Inc. relocated to corporate offices in Carlsbad, California on April 1, 2003, after its lease had expired in the City of Commerce, California. The headquarters address is 2051 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, CA 92009, and the telephone number is 760.494.1000.
