PierceGray Tapped by Four Wheel Campers to Find New CEO
March 1, 2024 – PierceGray has been retained by Four Wheel Campers to lead its for a new CEO. The CEO will have full responsibility for the business and will lead a workforce of 82 employees. They will partner with the management team, the board of directors and Salt Creek Capital on strategic planning, budgeting, capital allocation, financial structure optimization, and personnel requirements. The CEO will be accountable for the financial and service-level performance metrics of the business, including achieving year-over-year growth, and various KPIs and operations improvement targets. They will also be charged with preparing and leading the company towards a successful sale process in the next three to five years.
Four Wheel Campers is looking for candidates with 15+ years of experience in senior leadership roles in a manufacturing company with P&L>$100 million and national distribution. They should have experience in investor backed and high growth environments strongly preferred. Experience positioning a company and leading a successful sale to a strategic buyer or investor is also preferred.
Candidates must also have experience developing and growing dealer channels and direct to consumer channels. Demonstrated experience driving financial and operational results in a rapidly expanding environment is also a plus. Those applying should have experience driving gains in market share, increasing share of customer wallet, and entry into new and targeted markets.
In addition, PierceGray points out the following credentials that candidates should possess:
• Track record of improving revenue, EBITDA, and cash flow. Results oriented, with superior financial and analytical skills, and experience interfacing with Board and investors.
• Experience leading enterprise-level growth and commercial strategies and initiatives, including GTM strategies, strategic channel partnerships, M&A, sales, marketing, and pricing. Experience building and developing regional and national sales teams, and leveraging social platforms, influencers, and company website for measurable lead gen and ROI.
• Experience leading multiple functions simultaneously, including product development, manufacturing, supply chain, sales and business development, finance, HR, and IT/technology.
• Success instilling a KPI-driven approach to influence manufacturing, supply chain, and other operational aspects including safety, quality, productivity, and cost.
• Proven ability to develop talent and build a cohesive team focused on continuous improvement. A strong communicator who can map out and execute an operational strategy in support of growth plans.
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• A strong and confident leader and decision maker, who can rally an organization around a vision while seeking guidance from stakeholders as appropriate.
• Superior presence, communications, and stakeholder management skills. Capable of interfacing up and down the organization, from field operations to the board.
PierceGray Seeking Chief Operating Officer for Consumer Safety Technology
PierceGray has been retained by Consumer Safety Technology (CST) to lead in its search for a new chief operating officer. With the sponsorship of its investors, CST is now seeking to hire a new COO to take responsibility for product development (including hardware, firmware, and software), enterprise IT, THC detection technology development and supply chain. The ideal candidate will possess: Leadership experience in “connected device” technology businesses of relevant scale and complexity; functional expertise in engineering (HW/SW/firmware), supply chain, enterprise IT and customer service; prior success building and professionalizing the operational structure and performance of an organization; and the leadership attributes required for a C-suite leadership position in a high-growth, private equity backed environment. The new executive will lead a geographically disbursed team of ~50 employees and report directly to the CEO.
• Operates with a high sense of emotional intelligence and positivity. Respectful of the company culture and able to use ‘soft hands’ when appropriate to influence others and hold the organization accountable for performance.
• Has a strong connection to and embraces the mission and brand of the company.
Founded in 1972, Four Wheel Campers is an iconic and acclaimed manufacturer of off-road and overland pop-up truck campers. The company is the market leader in its category and sells its products directly to consumers and through a network of national and international dealerships as well as direct from two company-owned dealerships in California. In 2016, FWC was acquired by Salt Creek Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, which focuses on supporting the growth of lower middle market companies.
Building Leadership Teams
PierceGray is a specialized, retained executive search firm focused on building leadership teams in investor-back environments. The firm is functionally-focused, hiring executives and building teams in the following disciplines: operations and supply chain, sales and marketing, finance and transformation, and general management. PierceGray’s clients include private equity firms and portfolio companies as well as publicly-held companies across North America. PierceGray has been operating since 2006 and serves clients in nearly every industry sector in North America.
Matt Hamlin is the managing partner of PierceGray. Based in New York, he leads the firm’s day-to-day operations as well as key client engagements, specializing in C-suite placements in high-growth transformational environments. Prior to PierceGray, Mr. Hamlin was a management consultant focused on procurement and supply chain, gaining exposure to private equity during his time at Alvarez and Marsal. He has worked across nearly every industry sector, with search experience aligned to PierceGray’s functional offerings.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
