At the Helm: Important CEOs at HD Over the Years
Freedom is an integral part of the Harley-Davidson equation.
Freedom Equation
It is easy to forget that Harley-Davidson is a massive corporate entity. Yet, 'forgetting' is a fundamental part of the Harley-Davidson experience where, “In the saddle...responsibilities blow off your back.” Shouldering those responsibilities since 1903 has been a succession of company leaders who have worked tirelessly to keep fun and freedom an integral part of the Harley-Davidson equation.
Photo courtesy of CasPhotography.
Executive Bridge
The role of a Harley-Davidson CEO is no easy task. As the highest-ranking executive, a CEO makes major corporate decisions, while managing the overall operations and resources. CEOs are elected by the board of directors and shareholders and become the main point of communication between the board and corporate operations. CEOs also become the public face of the company.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Building Customers
Matt Levatich is the current Harley-Davidson President and CEO, and an avid rider. Levatich joined the Motor Company in 1994 and has held numerous managing positions in the U.S. and Europe. In a 2015 Cycle World interview, Levatich stated, “We’re not really in the business of manufacturing motorcycles. We’re in the business of building customers.” Levatich's infamy will be that of terminating the Dyna platform in 2017.
Transformed Manufacturing
Keith Wandell was Harley-Davidson's President and CEO from 2009 to 2015. Formerly of Johnson Controls International, Wandell took on the unenviable job of leading Harley-Davidson back to profitability. He brought a needed sense of urgency to the Motor Company, transformed manufacturing, and cut millions of dollars in costs. Wandell is credited for opening up international markets and signing-off on the LiveWire.
Going Up
James Ziemer served as President and CEO from 2005 to 2009. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ziemer started working at the Motor Company in 1969 as a freight elevator operator. He earned an undergraduate degree in accounting at UWM and later worked in the accounting department. When he retired, Ziemer was presented with the original wooden doors from the freight elevator he once operated when first hired.
Engineering Innovations
Jeffrey L. Bleustein's career with Harley-Davidson began in 1975 as the Vice President of Engineering. He worked his way through the corporate ranks as Senior Vice President in 1988, Executive Vice President in 1990, COO in 1993, CEO 1997 and Chairman of the Board in 1998. Bleustein's engineering innovations included the rubber engine mount and Kevlar drive belts. Bleustein's legacy was his leadership in the crucial 1981 AMF buyout.
Significant Role
Richard Teerlink joined Harley-Davidson in 1981 as CFO, and then as CEO until 1999. Teerlink, a 2015 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee, was part of the executive team responsible for Harley-Davidson's financial turnaround in the late 1980s. Teerlink reluctantly accepts credited for the Motor Company's dramatic turnaround and growth in popularity. One of his greatest accomplishments was establishing the Harley Owners Group (HOG) in 1983.
Public Fame
Vaughn L Beals Jr. served as Motor Company CEO from 1981 to 1989. An MIT graduate in aeronautical engineering, Beals is credited for clawing Harley-Davidson back from the brink of bankruptcy. He is one of the thirteen executives who leveraged the historic buyout from the AMF. Part of Beals' legacy is taking Harley-Davidson public in 1986. He was inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2008.
Founding Partner
William Herbert “Bill” Davidson started on the shop floor in 1928 and worked his way up to serve as President from 1942 to 1971. He was the son of William A. Davidson, a founding partner in Harley-Davidson. In 1963, Bill Davidson brought in his son William Godfrey Davidson as head of design. Willie G. Davidson went on to create some of the Motor Company's most popular designs and iconic motorcycles.
Company Success
During the AMF-era, Harley-Davidson entered a period of high CEO turnover. Of note, long-time Harley-Davidson employee Charles K. Thompson (above right) served as CEO of the restructured company until the early 1980s. Harley-Davidson's management has certainly helped lead the company to success, but Richard Teerlink reminds us, Harley wouldn't have thousands of people doing their job.
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