Arctic Cat Inc. has announced that Claude Jordan has stepped down as chairman and CEO. Chris Twomey, who served as Arctic Cat’s CEO for 24 years, and also is a former chairman and a current member of the board of directors, has been named interim chairman and CEO. The board is beginning a search for a permanent CEO.
“On behalf of the board, I want to thank Claude for nearly six years of service to Arctic Cat, first as president and chief operating officer, and then as CEO for the last three years," said Twomey. "During his tenure, Arctic Cat has grown from $465 million to over $700 million in annual sales, and the company entered the growing sports segment of the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle (ROV) market, with a line of side-by-side Wildcat pure-sport and trail models.
“Claude and the board have mutually decided this is the right time, however, for new executive leadership at the company," Twomey continued. "It makes sense to set up the leadership team that will take the company forward to a successful future, as we enter a new fiscal year. Tim Delmore, CFO, has agreed to postpone his previously announced retirement during this transition period. We anticipate appointing a new CEO and CFO in the coming months.”
Twomey served as Arctic Cat’s CEO from 1986 to 2010. He was named a director of the company in 1987 and was board chair from 2003 to 2012. During that time, Twomey led Arctic Cat through an initial public offering in 1990, grew revenues from $7.5 million to a peak of $780 million in 2007, entered the ATV business and expanded the company’s capabilities to include engine manufacturing at a new facility in St. Cloud, Minn.
“We expect to record a charge in the fiscal 2015 first quarter to cover severance-related costs. Excluding the severance, we are maintaining our fiscal 2015 guidance. The company is in strong financial shape and the board has every confidence in Arctic Cat’s long-term growth prospects. We remain focused on growing through a robust pipeline of innovative new products and technologies, international expansion and market share gains, as well as enhancing profitability by achieving greater operating efficiencies," Twomey concluded.
An executive search firm is being retained to assist in filling the CEO position.
