SUN VALLEY, Idaho (BRAIN)—Scott Montgomery has stepped down from his general manager role at Scott Sports, six years after he signed on to lead the charge in reintroducing Scott bicycles into the U.S.
“I have really enjoyed my time with this very strong company and I believe the heavy lifting has been done to ensure that Scott becomes a top brand in the USA,” Montgomery said in a statement.
Montgomery will be working with management to support a strong replacement and affect a smooth transition. He will continue with the company until at least the end of October and potentially in a consulting role after that time, according to Adrian Montgomery, Scott’s marketing manager.
In the interim, longtime Scott executive Larry Morton, who was brought in to the bike division about six months ago as vice president of sales and marketing, will lead the U.S. bike division.
Scott Sports will not hire a new general manager and instead will bring in a national sales manager, ideally by Nov. 1, Adrian Montgomery said.
Scott USA has beefed up its team significantly in the past year, filling two new web marketing roles and an events display coordinator to help with tradeshow organization. The new hires lessened the need for a general manager.
“There’s less to do from an operations standpoint and more to do from a sales management standpoint. We need someone strong in a national sales manager position who can lead the sales team to grow,” Adrian Montgomery said.
Adrian Montgomery said Scott Montgomery is leaving the company in a very good position with all 2011 orders placed for the U.S. and at least a quarter to get someone in place before 2012 planning shifts into high gear.
“Even in departure, he’s done something very professional and left at a good time,” he said.
Beat Zaugg, Scott Sports’ CEO and majority owner, also praised Montgomery for his work in rebuilding the brand in the U.S.
“Scott Montgomery has contributed significantly to the company. It was his vision that encouraged us to re-introduce Scott bicycles in the U.S. market in 2004 and his leadership has established our brand status amongst the top brands in the US market,” Zaugg said. We respect his decision to relinquish his position at Scott Sports and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Montgomery, son of Cannondale founder Joe Montgomery and a former executive at Cannondale, approached Zaugg about bringing Scott Bikes back to the U.S. in 2004. At the time, the Switzerland-based brand had been out of the U.S. bike market since 1997.
—Nicole Formosa
nformosa@bicyleretailer.com
