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Well, he DID run Disney Consumer Products...

#83
If this guy doesn't pull Fender around I can't see much of a future for the company in its current format. They won't disappear. They'll re emerge from any crisis still building Fender instruments, but this guy's track record looks like he doesn't fail.

The next 5 years could see a re invigorated Fender, in a positive way. I hope so.
 
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#85
Jim C said:
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How about this dream:
July 1st 2015 - Fender Musical Instruments is pleased to announce that they are bringing back Genz Benz amplifiers along with the original staff..
Click to expand...

Fender sold off it's Kaman subsidiary earlier this year. The Genz Benz brand is now owned by a Canadian firm, I believe.
 
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#88
I bet this is a big score for Fender. Do a little research and you'll agree. I wish him the best of luck.

unnamed.jpg
 
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#89
Again, the proof will be in the pudding. Disney is still making money, but the movies have gotten worse, and the parks less unique and more expensive - just more aggressive marketing of lesser products. As many of us have made similar complaints about recent Fender decisions, I am worried.
 
#91
A company hires a successful CEO (who even has a personal connection to the brand) and everyone gets their panties in a wad. Why do you even care about the CEO ? If I wanted to inspect my favourite instrument's brands executive board composition, I would look at Fender's new CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), who was announced around a week ago. Evan Jones worked in a headwear company, DC shoes, and before that...at Nike. Interesting coincidence.
 
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#95
BassHappy said:
True Confessions - I haven't read the entire thread, but to me the sad part is - why would they kill Fender Japan, re-imagine their entire worldwide strategy, make all sorts of - what appeared to be impulse decisions about the product line - and THEN hire someone to come in and straighten it all out? Is that a little back assward?

I mean, I don't know the history - maybe he knew he was the guy for a while, did his analysis months ago - and approved all the those decisions, but it doesn't sound to me that it went down like that.

Knee jerk reaction - tell me what I am missing...
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure. My job is engineering. Sometimes that means you get to invent or at least design new things. A lot of the time it means you get to fix things. When you go into a job that involves fixing things you often start by doing everything that appears to make sense and then as time goes on you realize you really need to do something completely different and perhaps some of your first moves were ill-considered. These things don't come with owner's manuals that guide you smoothly and inerrantly to the optimal solution. Fender has some issues, they recently failed to execute an IPO, and they are working through the problems they face. They will make mistakes, they may have to reverse some decisions, but if you have any desire to see Fender survive and improve the fact that they are still trying to reach the promised land is a good sign.

A CEO does not have to understand the products a company produces or the markets they serve. He or she can hire people to do that. A CEO has to have an excellent sense of how to run a business and has to be able to recognize the talents of those who do understand the products and the markets and has to be willing to listen to the talent. Generally it is helpful if the CEO does understand the company's market and does have an interest in the products but in some cases that can also be a liability because the CEO will then tend to listen to his/her own counsel too much. What we know of this new CEO is all positive. I wish him and the company well.
 
#100
well, they didn't screw up Marvel; although it's comparing apples and oranges, I imagine if this CEO adapts to the traditional affairs of the company rather than introduce a "new" approach (cutting manufacturing costs, non-artist endorsements, etc.) and instead focuses on outputting a quality product, and let the luthiers/workers do their own thing like they've done, they will be fine.
 

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