Troubled guitar manufacturer Gibson is looking to replace their current CEO — at least according to this new job listing.
Updated: DMN has now confirmed that the job listing on ExecThread belongs to Gibson Brands, Inc.
Current Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz recently stated that he would remain CEO for a while. Then, he would step down as an active advisor or mentor to the new CEO.
Now, a position for CEO of a company in the music industry in the Greater Nashville Area has been spotted on ExecThread.com. We’ve now confirmed that this post belongs to Gibson Brands, Inc.
The job listing asks candidates to have prior experience with a major consumer product company and familiarity with “acquiring and integrating complementary businesses” going forward. That last point is notable, as Gibson’s spread into consumer electronics has prompted some speculation that the 116-year-old company wore itself too thin.
Here’s a quick excerpt from the post, submitted 9 days ago on ExecThread.
About the Role
Locations:
- (Nashville, TN)
Functions:
- CEO/President
- General Management
- Operations
- Strategy
Known Requirements:
- Prior experience in a major consumer products company required
- Prior experience in a recognized brand, including digital, social engagement & e-commerce required
- Experience in acquiring & integrating complementary businesses preferred
- Private equity experience including a successful “exit” preferred
- Music industry experience preferred
- Prior P&L experience with global premium brands preferred
As part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings in May, the guitar maker announced that it would close these consumer electronic divisions and refocus on its core products, namely musical instruments.
CEO Henry Juszkiewicz has been in place at Gibson since the 1980s, after he bought the failing guitar manufacturer and turned it into a profitable company again.
However, Juszkiewicz’s reign is looking a little long in the tooth as several recent decisions have put the guitar manufacturer in a hard place. The failing consumer electronics division was just one aspect of the company that has been bungled; the company’s attempts to appeal to a broader niche of musicians has resulted in the company shooting itself in the foot multiple times.
The 2015 guitar product line featured electric guitars with automatic tuning, wider necks, and design tricks to make it more comfortable for newer guitarists to learn. Sounded good on paper, but this move alienated long-time guitarists who saw the new instruments as an abrupt departure from the company’s legacy.
Juszkiewicz has been roundly blamed by investors for failing to steer the ship towards profitability, with bankruptcy the result of ineptitude. Those tough accusations have been borne out in multiple bankruptcy filings, with analysts echoing the criticism and demanding managerial changes.
Perhaps the tougher question is whether this is really Juszkiewicz’s fault, or if the longtime CEO is merely a convenient scapegoat for a company suffering from massive market changes.
No, he needs to go. Gibson has fallen on bad times due to hawking ugly (Boogie Van Les Pauls?!), shoddy, overpriced guitars aimed to a market of boomer rockers who want to collect gear for their man caves. Sorry, but making nostalgic souvenirs for well-heeled weekend rockers is not doing the working musician or the market any good.
Henry is an idiot. He’s been running Gibson into the ground for decades. Demanding guitars be made by the end of the day, which he conjured from his tasteless imagination. Reverse flying V’s and Scooby- Doo type themes nobody cares about! Wasting the time and resources of incredible craftsman is disgusting. These factories could be turning out instruments people all over the world would cherish for all time, and would sell, easily. Gives us our traditional instruments, in the colors we want! Leave it alone! You will succeed and prosper by leaps and bounds. It’s like owning the patent on the wheel. Leave it the hell alone!
Give the guitar builders in the factory and luthiers in the Custom Shop credit where credit is due – for quality work. Stop hogging all the spotlight all the time Henry. Gibson is a team effort.
I feel so bad for them, those that are left. Gibson is in the blood of many many luthiers and guitarist. Henry was in it for all the wrong reasons…..ego
So glad to see this meg
Well…. He was not the right person for Gibson. Glad to see him leave. Hopefully the next CEO will focus on higher quality (like there used to be) and maybe (I’m really stretching here) even drop the price of a standard back down from over 3k…. 2k is doable, 3k you stopped me from buying another one which puts sales profit back into the company.