Escalade Names New CEO and President

EVANSVILLE, INDIANA (February 6, 2025) – Escalade, Inc. announced the appointment of Armin Boehm as Chief Executive Officer and President following an extensive search process as part of a planned succession. Boehm will succeed Walter P. Glazer, Jr., who in August 2024 announced his plans to retire as CEO and President. Boehm will begin as Escalade CEO and President on April 1, 2025. 

“Armin is a visionary leader with a deep understanding of the sporting goods industry,” Glazer said. “His extensive global experience, combined with his collaborative and dynamic approach, makes him the ideal CEO to guide Escalade into its next chapter of growth and innovation.

“His strategic mindset, respect for our company’s heritage, and passion for delivering exceptional consumer experiences position him well for success. I look forward to supporting Armin as he takes on this new leadership role while I continue to serve our shareholders as Chairman of the Board of Directors.”

Boehm brings over three decades of leadership experience across premier global brands and three continents. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer and a member of the Global Leadership Team at Gibson Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, where he played a pivotal role in driving growth for the company’s renowned musical instrument and sound solutions portfolio, including Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer.

Prior to Gibson, Boehm held key leadership roles in the sporting goods industry. At Amer Sports, he led commercial and marketing operations across the Americas for brands such as Salomon, Arc’teryx, Atomic, Suunto, and Wilson. While based in Hong Kong and Shanghai for Puma, he drove sales, merchandising, and product creation while spearheading direct-to-consumer growth and establishing Puma China. Before his tenure in Asia, Boehm successfully led global product management and merchandising across the apparel division at Puma’s international headquarters in Germany during a period of dramatic growth. He also previously led innovation initiatives at Levi Strauss and began his career as an R&D and product innovation manager at Adidas’ international headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

“I am honored to lead Escalade, a company with a remarkable century-long history and a portfolio of beloved brands. As we look ahead, we will build upon our strong foundation, embrace innovation, and enhance our consumer-centric approach to create products that bring people together,” said Boehm. “I look forward to working with the exceptional teams at Escalade to drive sustainable growth and superior total shareholder returns while shaping the future of the sporting goods industry.”

Ned Williams, Lead Independent Director, praised Glazer’s leadership, saying, “On behalf of everyone at Escalade, I want to express our deepest gratitude for Walt’s leadership and unwavering dedication as President and CEO. Walt’s commitment and outstanding leadership guided Escalade through a critical period and set us up for further success in the years ahead. We are extremely grateful for Walt’s contributions and look forward to building upon those with Armin as our next President and CEO.”