One of the largest manufacturers of pool/spa equipment has announced a new CEO.
Effective immediately, Kevin P. Holleran has taken the reins of “Big Three” manufacturer Hayward Pool Products, as its new president and chief executive officer. He also takes a spot on the company’s board of directors.
The leadership change comes two years after Hayward transitioned to a private-equity firm after more than a half century as a family-owned company.
Holleran brings nearly 30 years’ experience in commercial and management positions in various industries. He most recently served as president and CEO of the $4 billion industrial segment of Textron, a publicly traded company. In that position, he oversaw Textron Specialized Vehicles, as well as Kautex, a manufacturer of plastic fuel systems and other automobile components. Before that, he headed Textron Specialized Vehicles during a period of substantial growth and acquisition. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Wake Forest University and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University.
“Kevin is a talented executive and an ideal fit to drive our strategic growth plan at Hayward, given his combination of leadership abilities, commercial background and proven track record growing multi-channel manufacturing businesses,” said Kevin Brown, senior managing director at MSD Partners, one of Hayward’s private-equity investors, and board member of Hayward. “We believe Kevin can hit the ground running on the execution of our key growth initiatives…”
Clark Hale, who served in the top spot for seven years, has left the company to “embark on the next stage of his career,” the company said in a press release.
“Hayward has been strengthened by Mr. Hale’s contributions as he guided Hayward through a transition from a family-owned business to a private-equity backed company,” the company further said.
Under Hale’s watch, the company also made several strategic acquisitions, including automatic-cleaner maker Paramount Leisure Industries, smart-device manufacturer ConnectedYard (pHin), and the Spanish pool-equipment producers Kripsol Group and Sugar Valley.
Hayward purchased Paramount and ConnectedYard after its 2017 change to private-equity ownership, when it was purchased by CCMP Capital Advisors (former owner of PSN parent company Hanley Wood), as well as MSD Partners and Alberta Investment Management Corp.
