STREETSBORO, OHIO — After just six months on the job, Chris Quinn and his team have a clear direction.
The new president and CEO of toymaker Step2 Co. LLC is bringing to bear his years of experience at New Balance, Procter & Gamble, Mars and Clorox. His plan: Rebuild the brand and expand the horizons of North America's largest rotational molder.
Quinn has made himself available since joining Step2. He launched a 60-day listening tour. He hosts weekly “Breakfast with the CEO” meetings. He also writes a monthly blog (“Chris' Corner”) for employees. Recently, his nine-person executive team released a one-page strategic document, then surveyed employees for their reaction.
“We had 90 percent of associates in this company who felt extremely confident in the new direction,” said Quinn, 50, who earned his bachelor's degree at Denison University and his MBA from the University of Michigan. “The commentary we received was, ‘We've been waiting for the executive team for leadership, to give us a sense of where we're going.'”
That expression of collective relief is understandable as Step2 has had a handful of chief executives in recent years. The 820-employee operation is owned by two private equity firms: Ares Capital and Liberty Partners. Ares is the majority owner, Quinn said.