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May 09
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Harley-Davidson appoints Jochen Zeitz as President & CEO: New plan to redefine brand

By General Posts

by Rahul Kapoor from https://www.financialexpress.com

With Matt Levatich stepping down, Harley Davidson had appointed Jochen Zeitz to lead the brand in the interim. But Zeitz has now been appointed as the president and CEO for the Milwaukee based motorcycle manufacturer.

Harley-Davidson, the iconic American motorcycle brand has elevated interim President and CEO Jochen Zeitz as the new President and CEO of the company. Zeitz was appointed into the interim position after the former head of the brand Matt Levatich stepped down after a dismal sales performance of the brand that it witnessed in recent years. Zeitz who is currently the chairman of the board of Harley-Davidson brings his experience as the CEO of the sports apparel and goods brand Puma to the role. He also has plans to restructure the company and also redefine Harley Davidson.

In a press statement, Zeitz said “Over the next few months, we will re-wire the business and redefine a new 5-year strategic plan later this year. I will then oversee the implementation of these changes and re-ignite Harley-Davidson as one of the most revered and iconic brands in the world,”

Zeitz is working towards an all-new brand strategy called “The Rewire” that would allow Harley-Davidson to enter new markets and segments as well. The plan is said to develop further in the coming months which will incorporate key products, and initiatives from the current ongoing strategy for the brand, but with a key focus on markets and products that can help drive profits and growth.

Harley-Davidson has found the last few years to be difficult in terms of unit sales. This has been more prominent in its home market – the USA as the modern consumers have moved away from heavyweight cruisers to adventure touring models or ADVs. Zeitz has been on the board of directors of the Harley-Davidson since 2007 and has served as the chairman and CEO of Puma from 1993 to 2011, and CFO from 1993 to 2005.

Mar 02
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Harley-Davidson’s acting CEO Zeitz sees potential to revitalize motorcycle brand

By General Posts

Following a tough fiscal 2019 where U.S. Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales were the lowest in at least 16 years, the Milwaukee manufacturer announced Feb. 28 that Matthew Levatich stepped down as president and CEO. Current Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) board member Jochen Zeitz will serve as acting president and CEO.

Harley-Davidson appoint Jochen Zeitz as president and CEO

Jochen Zeitz also served as the chairman and CEO of the sporting goods company, Puma from 1993 to 2011.

Harley-Davidson board of directors have appointed Jochen Zeitz as acting president and CEO; Matthew Levatich steps down.

American bike maker, Harley-Davidson announced that the board of directors have appointed present board member, Jochen Zeitz as acting president and CEO. Matthew Levatich has stepped down from his role as the president and CEO and as a member of the board.

Speaking on his new role, Jochen Zeitz said, “The Board and Matt mutually agreed that now is the time for new leadership at Harley-Davidson. Levatich was instrumental in defining the More Roads to Harley-Davidson accelerated plan for growth, and we will look to new leadership to recharge our business. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Matt for his 26 years of service to Harley-Davidson. He has worked tirelessly to navigate the company through a period of significant industry change while ensuring the preservation of one of the most iconic brands in the world.”

Furthermore, a board committee is being formed, and the OEM will use an external search firm to find a new CEO. Levatich will be assisting the transition through the end of March. As part of this leadership change, Zeitz has also been named chairman of the Board and will remain chairman once the new CEO is appointed. The current chairman of the Board, Michael Cave will be the presiding director.

Zeitz added, “The Harley-Davidson Board and leadership team will continue to work closely together as we search for a new CEO. We have confidence that our combined leadership experience and deep understanding of Harley-Davidson will ensure an effective transition. As a passionate Board Member of Harley-Davidson, I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and other Harley-Davidson stakeholders to advance and deliver the company’s strategy and execution during this important time.”

Zeitz has been a member of the Harley-Davidson Board of Directors since 2007 and established the company’s Brand and Sustainability Committee. “I am very fortunate to have spent many years with a company as revered as Harley-Davidson,” Levatich pointed out. “The grit and determination of the employees and dealers and their passion for bringing our brand of freedom to people around the world has always been inspiring. I am proud of what we have achieved during my time as CEO, in one of the most challenging periods in our history, and I am confident that the progress we have made on the More Roads plan will position Harley-Davidson for long-term success.”

Jochen Zeitz also served as the chairman and CEO of the sporting goods company Puma from 1993 to 2011. He was also Puma’s CFO from 1993 to 2005. Zeitz served as a director of luxury goods company, Kering (formerly PPR) from 2012 to 2016. He was a member of Kering’s Executive Committee and CEO of its Sport and Lifestyle division between 2010 and 2012. Zeitz is also a board member of the Cranemere Group and is on the Board of the ‘B Team’ which he co-founded with Sir Richard Branson.

Jan 09
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Rod Copes quits as Royal Enfield North America President

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Before joining Royal Enfield in 2014, Copes worked with Harley Davidson for 20 years.

Former Harley executive Rod Copes has quit from his role of President of Royal Enfield North America, where he was heading the North and Latin America for last 5 years, reveals a LiveMint report.

Copes has previously worked with Harley Davidson for 20 years till August 2014, before joining Royal Enfield.

An alumni of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Copes was a key figure in setting up Royal Enfield’s operations in the USA and Canada. Later in May 2019, he also took over the responsibility of the Latin American market, including Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.

The report claims that Rod Copes will continue his work until the end of February. It quotes a person from the company who said that Copes’ exit could be a blow to Royal Enfield in terms of further expansion of the brand’s presence in North American market.

This is the second big exit among the key persons of the company, after Pierre Terblanche resigned in July 2016. Pierre Terblanche is a famous motorcycle designer, who joined Royal Enfield in November 2014.

In North America, RE has around 100 dealers. The company is aiming to scale up the sales volumes to around 10,000-15,000 units by mid-2020. It is banking on the 650cc models for that goal.

Oct 27
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Harley-Davidson removes president of global brand development Neil Grimmer

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by Margaret Naczek from https://www.bizjournals.com/

Harley-Davidson Inc. confirmed Friday that Neil Grimmer, president of Harley’s global brand development, is no longer with the company.

“His departure comes after an internal inquiry along with a third-party investigation into concerns that his judgement and conduct as a senior leader did not align with our culture and the values we expect all our employees to demonstrate,” a Harley-Davidson spokesperson said via email.

A source familiar with the matter indicated that Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) received complaints about Grimmer which did not align with the company’s code of business conduct. The departure reflected multiple actions by Grimmer, not a single event, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Harley-Davidson president and CEO Matt Levatich told employees about Grimmer’s departure Friday morning in an internal memo acquired by the Milwaukee Business Journal. The memo indicated that Levatich would be assuming Grimmer’s responsibilities as president of global brand development in the interim.

Harley-Davidson announced the hiring of Grimmer into the newly created global brand development president position in April of this year. Grimmer had most recently worked as CEO of Habit, a personalized nutrition life science company he had founded. Grimmer was a direct report to Levatich, and his duties ranged from product planning, marketing and retail to communications.

“Based upon our internal inquiry along with the findings of this third-party investigation, we determined that Mr. Grimmer leaving Harley-Davidson was the appropriate course of action. Harley-Davidson takes all matters related to workplace conduct and our Valued Behaviors very seriously. All Harley-Davidson employees, regardless of level, are expected to follow our Code of Business Conduct and Valued Behaviors,” a Harley-Davidson spokesperson said via email.

Apr 04
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Harley-Davidson Announces Global Brand President

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Neil Grimmer has been named President, Harley-Davidson Brand

Leadership structure and capabilities positioned to amplify the brand and drive company strategy

MILWAUKEE, April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Harley-Davidson announced today that Neil Grimmer will join the company’s leadership team as President, Harley-Davidson Brand.

As Harley’s first-ever brand president, Grimmer will evolve the brand to support the company’s strategy to build the next generation of Harley-Davidson riders globally. As the company expands into new segments and new geographies and seeks to inspire diverse, new riders around the globe, he will be responsible for all aspects of the Harley-Davidson brand including product planning, marketing, retail, apparel and communications.

Reporting directly to Matt Levatich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Harley-Davidson, Inc., Grimmer brings over 20 years of experience building brands and growing companies. Most recently, he was Founder and CEO of Habit, the world’s first personalized nutrition life science company. Grimmer also served in a leadership role at Campbell Soup Company and was Co-founder & CEO of Plum Organics, which was acquired by Campbell’s in 2013. Grimmer also served as the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Clif Bar & Company and Senior Designer at IDEO. He earned an MFA in Product Design from Stanford University and a BFA from California College of the Arts. He is currently a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

Grimmer will bring together our consumer facing teams around the world who will together invigorate the Harley-Davidson consumer experience and deliver a global brand force that resonates with new riders and engages today’s riders to support our growth going forward.

“Neil’s creative instincts, innovation mindset, deep brand and consumer experience and bottom-line orientation is critically important as we lead and inspire our teams and riders,” said Matt Levatich. “He is joining us at a pivotal time, and his leadership qualities and affinity for who we are and what Harley-Davidson is all about will be a spark that ignites people to imagine what is possible for them from Harley-Davidson.”

“Harley-Davidson is an iconic American brand recognized around the world as a symbol of personal expression and individual freedom,” said Grimmer. “It is nothing short of an honor and a privilege to work with Matt and the amazing team at Harley to bring the strategy to life and excite the next generation of riders, ushering in the next chapter of the storied legacy of Harley-Davidson.”

In July 2018, Harley-Davidson announced its More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan to accelerate growth through 2022 and deliver its strategy to build the next generation of riders. The plan provides the products, access and channels to engage more, new consumers and drive growth.

“As we intensify our efforts and with this added leadership talent, the company will more fully engage the power of the brand as a catalyst to help reach the full potential of our strategy and meet our long-term objectives,” said Levatich.

“Our leadership team is positioned to intensify our ‘More Roads to Harley-Davidson’ journey,” said Levatich. “The addition of Neil Grimmer to our seasoned group of leaders, enhances our capabilities and will sharpen our focus on strategic and long-term growth opportunities to ensure our future success. We have a clear vision, and the leadership team and organization are aligned and energized around it.”

Mar 31
Love0

Proclamation on Second Chance Month, 2019

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Americans have always believed in the power of redemption ‑‑ that those who have fallen can work toward brighter days ahead. Almost all of the more than two million people in America’s prisons will one day return to their communities. In each case, they will have served their sentence and earned the chance to take their places back in society. During Second Chance Month, we draw attention to the challenges that former inmates face and the steps we can take to ensure they have the opportunity to become contributing members of society.

Inmates are often eager to leave behind the challenges presented by incarceration. Too often, however, they find the transition to life outside of prison to be daunting. If they are not able to find jobs and housing and rebuild relationships with family and friends, they may find it harder to escape the cycle of reoffending. Sadly, 5 out of 6 State prisoners are rearrested within 9 years of their release, and more than a third of former Federal prisoners will be rearrested within 5 years of their release. In addition to the harm caused to the victims of crime, these high recidivism rates place a significant financial burden on taxpayers, deprive our labor force of productive workers, and leave families without spouses, children, and parents.

My Administration is committed to helping former prisoners reenter society as productive, law‑abiding citizens. For this reason, I signed into law the bipartisan FIRST STEP Act. This new legislation makes several positive reforms to increase the likelihood of successful prisoner reentry. The legislation provides improved opportunities for inmates to engage in educational coursework and vocational training, and establishes pilot mentorship programs. It also allows prisoners who successfully complete evidence‑based recidivism reduction programs to earn time credits to apply toward prerelease custody or supervised release, reducing their time in prison. Because maintaining family and community ties is key to a successful reentry into society, the bill includes provisions that allow inmates to be placed in facilities closer to their home communities, facilitating family visitation during their time of incarceration. Finally, the law makes adjustments to sentencing rules that will make our criminal justice system more fair, reducing penalties for certain drug offenders.

This month, we celebrate those who have exited the prison system and successfully reentered society and renew our commitment to providing support and resources that former inmates need to meet their responsibilities, rediscover their self‑worth, and benefit from the gift of a second chance. We also express our sincere gratitude to all those who play a significant role in helping reduce recidivism, including faith‑based and community organizations and employers willing to hire workers notwithstanding a criminal history. By reducing recidivism and putting former inmates on the path to success, we can reduce crime and enhance the safety of our communities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2019 as Second Chance Month. I call on all Americans to commemorate this month with events and activities that raise public awareness about preventing crime and providing those who have completed their sentences an opportunity for an honest second chance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

NEWS AT https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-second-chance-month-2019/

Mar 16
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Outlaws Motorcycle Club leader’s funeral set for Montgomery Co. fairgrounds

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‘Taco’ Bowman was president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Harry Joseph “Taco” Bowman, the former president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club who was on the FBI’s top ten most wanted fugitive’s list, will have his funeral on Saturday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

Bowman’s funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. A procession from the fairgrounds to Bear Creek Cemetery on North Union Road in Madison Twp. will begin at 12 p.m.

Sheriff’s Deputies will be shutting down North Union Road to Hoover Avenue in Trotwood for the funeral.

Additionally, deputies will also partially close down Infirmary Road from the Montgomery County fairgrounds to SR-35 for the procession.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said officers are not expecting any safety issues but given the size of the crowd and the reputation of the group, they do have contingency plans in place.

“There’s always concerns when you have get large groups of people who have been known to be violent. They do not try to hide that fact,” Streck said. “(But) We don’t have any chatter of suspected violence, we don’t have any indications that other clubs are going to try and cause trouble at the event.”

Bowman, who was serviving a life sentence in federal prison, died on Sunday at the Federal Medical Center in North Carolina. He was 69 years old.

According to the Detroit News, Bowman was considered one of the most infamous motorcycle gang leaders in U.S. history. The Outlaws were rivals to the Hell’s Angels.

Bowman was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted List in 1998, interrupting what had been a relatively low profile kept by Bowman while serving as leader of the Outlaws.

In 2001, he was convicted in a Federal court in Florida of the murders of several rival gang members, firebombings, racketeering and conspiracy among other charges. He was sentenced to two life sentences plus 83 years.

Bowman had a long-running feud with Hell’s Angels leader Sonny Barger over which gang was superior.

Several members of the Outlaws were previously interned at Bear Creek Cemetery.

Mar 05
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2019 federal spending package increases infrastructure funding

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It took a while, but a 2019 spending package was finally approved by Congress, signed by President Trump, and enacted February 15. In addition to the $1.375 billion for southwest border barriers, the package also includes full-year 2019 funding levels for important federal infrastructure programs, including the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Engineering News-Record reports.

The 2019 package is the second year of a two-year, bipartisan House-Senate budget deal that included a pledge to raise overall federal infrastructure spending by $20 billion over 2017 levels. It sets the federal-aid highway obligation ceiling at $45.3 billion, up $1 billion, or 2 percent, from 2018 and equal to the amount authorized in the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which comes from the Highway Trust Fund.

The legislation also contains $3.25 billion more from the general fund for highways, up from $2.525 billion in 2018. A 2019 “bonus” amount includes $2.73 billion for states, up from $1.98 billion in 2018, and $475 million for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, more than double the 2018 amount.

Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants received $900 million for 2019, down 40 percent from 2018, but it was not discontinued as President Trump suggested. The program was originally called Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER.

The Federal Transit Administration will receive $13.4 billion for 2019, down $67 million from 2018, with transit formula grants getting $9.9 billion and capital investment grants receiving $2.5 billion, down from $2.6 billion in 2018. An additional $700 million, down from $834 million in 2018, goes for transit infrastructure grants, which include bus facilities and “state of good repair” projects.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program was frozen at 2018’s $3.35 billion, an amount that comes from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. Lawmakers also tapped the general fund for an additional $500 million in FAA discretionary airport grants, down 50 percent from 2018.

The EPA’s water infrastructure account will receive $3.6 billion, a 1 percent increase over 2018 levels. Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) will receive $1.7 billion and Drinking Water SRFs will get $1.2 billion.