- Push-out Score determined
- After around eight years in the position
- Praise for Debney
- Mark Smith and Brian Murphy taking over
(exechange) — Springfield, Massachusetts, January 16, 2020 — James Debney, chief executive of American Outdoor, leaves. As announced by American Outdoor Brands Corp. in a news release published on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 and in a regulatory filing published on Thursday, January 16, 2020, P.James Debney has left his post as chief executive officer at the manufacturer of firearms and outdoor sports and recreation products after around eight years in the role, effective January 14, 2020.
Among the 3,000 largest publicly held companies incorporated in the U.S. based on market capitalization, the average tenure of the CEOs who announced their departure over the past 12 months was 7.5 years, according to data compiled by exechange.
James Debney’s duties as CEO will be taken over by Mark P. Smith and Brian D. Murphy, most recently President of the Manufacturing Services Division (Smith) and President of the Outdoor Products & Accessories Division (Murphy) of American Outdoor Brands Corp., as co-Chief Executive Officers.
“Conduct inconsistent with a non-financial company policy”
James Debney’s departure from the CEO post is explained as follows. American Outdoor said: “In their co-leadership roles, Smith and Murphy succeed James Debney, who has separated as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a Director of the company, following the determination by the Board of Directors that he engaged in conduct inconsistent with a non-financial company policy.”
Precise information regarding James Debney’s future plans was not immediately available.
“Separated”
American Outdoor said: “Effective January 14, 2020, P. James Debney has separated as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a Director of our company following the determination by our Board of Directors that he engaged in conduct inconsistent with a non-financial company policy.”
Share price decline
The announcement follows a decline in American Outdoor Brands Corp.’s share price of 68% since August 2016.
Chaired by Barry M. Monheit
American Outdoor Brands Corp. is chaired by Barry M. Monheit.
In the position of CEO since 2011
James Debney became CEO of the Company in 2011.
P.James Debney has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since September 2011.
Debney was Vice President of the Company from April 2010 until September 2011, and President of the Company’s firearm division from November 2009 until September 2011.
Debney was President of Presto Products Company, formerly a business unit of Alcoa Consumer Products, a manufacturer of plastic products, from January 2007 until February 2009.
He was Managing Director of Baco Consumer Products, a business unit of Alcoa Consumer Products, a manufacturer of U.K.-branded and private label foil, film, storage, food, and trash bag consumer products, from January 2006 until December 2006; Manufacturing and Supply Chain Director from August 2003 until December 2005; and Manufacturing Director from April 1998 until July 2003.
Debney joined Baco Consumer Products in 1989 and held various management positions in operations, production, conversion, and materials.
Push-out Score determined
The Push-out Score™ determined by exechange gauges the pressure surrounding the management change on a scale of 0 to 10.
exechange reached out to American Outdoor and offered the company the opportunity to comment on the score.
Read the full story in the exechange report 3.2020 ($).