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Appointment
Bauer Hockey Appoints Kevin Davis President & Chief Executive Officer
GREENLAND, N.H. - Bauer Hockey's Board of Directorsannounced the appointment of Kevin Davis as President & Chief Executive Officer of Bauer Hockey. The appointment follows the completion of Nike, Inc's previously disclosed sale of Bauer Hockey to an investor group led by Kohlberg & Company and Canadian businessman W. Graeme Roustan.
"Today marks a momentous day in the storied history of Bauer Hockey as
the sale of the company is officially complete," said Davis. "I could not be
more energized about what lies ahead for us as a company and I am excited to
lead this strong and dedicated team well into the future."
Bauer Hockey, which will continue to operate under the name Nike Bauer
Hockey for the near future, is the hockey industry's leading manufacturer and
has developed innovative products for over 80 years. Since 1927, Bauer has
continually delivered the most sought after products in the industry,
including the widely successful Supreme and Vapor lines of equipment. Under
the terms of the sale agreement, Bauer Hockey will continue to develop and
market products utilizing the Nike Bauer Hockey trademark for up to two years.
Davis takes over for Mark Duggan, who will return to Nike, Inc where he
has worked for more than 26 years. A 15-year veteran of the sporting goods,
consumer products, and medical device industries, Davis brings a wealth of
experience through his work with major brands such as Nike, Gillette and
Braun. Davis most recently served as Nike Bauer Hockey's Chief Financial
Officer and Chief Operating Officer and has been with the company for the past
six years. During that time, he helped guide the company to its most
successful financial position in its history, including record financial
results for the past two years.
"The chance to help evolve a company's future is a rare opportunity and I
am eager to take the reins as President & CEO as we begin this exciting new
chapter as a stand alone entity," said Davis. "Over the past few years, we
have developed the sport's most innovative products, built the most coveted
brand in hockey and assembled the most dedicated team in the industry. As a
result, we have achieved the No. 1 position in the industry and I'm confident
that with the added support of our new ownership group, we will continue to
meet the high standards that our consumers and retailers demand."
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Bauer Hockey is the world's most recognized designer, marketer and manufacturer of hockey equipment and currently operates under the Nike Bauer Hockey name. Founded in 1927 in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario Canada, Bauer Hockey developed the first skate with the blade attached to the boot, forever changing the game of hockey. Since then, Bauer Hockey has continued to develop the most sought after products in the industry, including the widely successful Supreme and Vapor lines of equipment.
History of Bauer:
The owners of Western Shoe Company, the Bauer family, established the Bauer company as it is known today in 1927 in Kitchener, Ontario. Bauer would grow over the years, buying up smaller rivals such as Micron. But in 1994, Nike announced the acquisition of Canstar, the parent company of Bauer. The purchase was completed in February of 1995.
Bauer was the first hockey company to begin producing hockey skates in which the blade was attached to the boot. The boot was made by Bauer and the skate blade by the now-defunct Starr Manufacturing Company. This new product was then marketed under the trade name "Bauer Supreme".
But the arrival of the legendary George Tackaberry boot, now made by CCM (The Hockey Company) under the Tacks trademark - the Tackaberry name having been acquired by CCM in 1937 - saw a shift in the balance of power to Bauer's rival. The Tackaberry boot with CCM Pro-Lite blade would be worn by all NHL scoring champions from 1939 through 1969.
The Bauer name returned to prominence after the company undertook a pioneering step of paying superstar Bobby Hull to endorse their skates. This move, and the introduction soon after of the TUUK holder, ushered in a new era for the company.
The current NHL rule banning the use of fancy skates was introduced on September 24, 1927. At the time, this effectively outlawed all skates other than tube skates. The plastic/rubber stopper seen on the heel of later tube skates was developed by CCM in 1960 following an injury to the Montréal Canadiens' Maurice "Rocket" Richard in the 1958-59 season. It was made mandatory by the NHL in 1964.
Then in the early 1970's, Jim Roberts, also of the Canadiens, began wearing the now famous TUUK blade. High-profile teammates Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt and Jacques Lemaire soon followed. The success of this blade chassis was such that by 1995, the various Canstar skate brands (Mega, Bauer, etc.) had a 70% NHL market share while their TUUK and ICM holders combined for a 95% share. (Note: Bauer no longer offers the ICM holder on player skates although it is still offered with goalie skates, in addition to the TUUK cowling.)
In 1994, Bauer began producing the perforated TUUK chassis, which is the piece of equipment that connects the steel blade to the actual boot of the skate. This revolutionized the sport of hockey because it allowed skates to be made lighter, as well as more durable. Their current flagship skate is called the Nike Bauer Supreme One90, which weighs in at an amazingly light 750 grams in a size 8. Ironically enough though, this low weight was achieved without the use of perforated runners.
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