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This week on The CEO Series we visited Riddell headquarters to read the sports equipment giant’s president and CEO’s leadership playbook Dana Armenta.
“Smart helmets will be the future of football,” Arment told me. “What we do at his company is really important – we continue to create a game for athletes using innovative technology.”
Watch the video above to hear Arment’s insights on the growth of his company and the multi-billion dollar sport it supports. Read below for highlights from this conversation, which have been edited for length and clarity.
Making an impact through safer shots
“Riddell’s share of the NFL is about 75 percent and our university’s share is 85 percent. Riddell develops technology and equipment for all levels of the game, and one of our goals is to ensure that the technologies used at the elite level are pushed to the level of all levels of the game. Most innovations in helmet technology come from Riddell. That’s because we saw an opportunity to take a database of over 8 million shots and start mining the data for teams, coaches, strength and conditioning coaches to understand it. what happens to their athletes from an impact standpoint.”
A game plan for dealing with inflation
“Due to inflation, we have seen widespread increases in costs, whether it is material costs, labor costs or transportation costs. The challenge is that football program budgets are relatively fixed. They do not necessarily respond immediately to inflation. We therefore aim to offset the cost increases we can pass on while ensuring product availability at all levels.
Leadership heroes
“I have had great mentors throughout my career, but if there is one person who has truly been the most supportive of my career, it is my wife, Julie. We moved across the country many times with three children in diapers. When you got up and left your support system, I had to go somewhere else and start all over again, it’s not easy. Besides, I wasn’t home much. I traveled a lot while running the company. So I think it’s fair to say her support through this process was a key part of what we were able to achieve.”
Lifelong passion for football
“I grew up loving soccer and wanting to play soccer. I’m the youngest of six children. I remember going to one of my older brother’s college games and my other brother and I were in the tunnel as the team took the field. field. The roar of the crowd was like electricity. I said, “Wow, I want to do that.” And that is the way it was. Football was at all times part of what I did.
Leadership lessons
“I’m very focused on results, so I try to be quite direct. But at the same time, I’ve learned over the years that you have to empower people. Set strategic direction, align people with what you want, what you’re trying to do, and step back. The longer you are in a role, the better you understand the rhythm of work and your priorities and what you should focus on is stepping back and letting people do what they do.”
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