The announcement of Dick’s Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Hennion’s departure in conjunction with other moves at C-level and board positions over the last 12-months caught our attention today. Upon further digging through various moves in the company’s senior ranks over the last year, the bottom-line is that there’s been a noteworthy level of turnover.  In fact, 50% of C-level management (3 of 6 positions) and 20% of the company’s Board of Directors have vacated their posts in the past year. When looked at in aggregate, the sheer volume of leadership change is certainly noteworthy.

We’d be remiss not to recall the fact that Gwen Manto (previously Dick’s Chief Merchandising Officer) left to join Sports Authority. Is it possible Mr. Hennion has also embarked on the same path? The thought certainly crossed our mind – though just to be clear, we don’t have intimate knowledge of the situation. In November 2009, TSA beefed up its team with the hiring of Jeff Schumacher as the Chief Marketing & Strategic Officer out of McKinsey & Co. While it may just be a simple case of timing, the chronology of executive moves at the two sporting goods giants suggests a shift in talent is underway. With Sports Authority’s intentions of bringing the company public in the near-term, we wonder just how many former DKS executives will be rubbing elbows at the road show.

DKS: C-Level Shifts - DKS MgmtChgs 10 1 10

 

DKS: C-Level Shifts - DKS MgmtChgs Table 10 1 10

Casey Flavin

Director