Clyde Fessler, the former Vice President of Business Development for Harley-Davidson Motor Company played an integral part in their dramatic turnaround over the past 24 years.
Fessler joined Harley-Davidson in 1977 as the Advertising and Promotions Manager, and soon was promoted to Director of Marketing Services. In that position he lead the establishment of Harley Owners Group, which now has over 500,000 members and is the largest enthusiast club in the world.
As General Sales Manager in the early 1980s, he established new policies and programs, many of which are still in effect today. As Director of Licensing, Clyde created a new business that has received national recognition enhancing the brand to the general public as well as adding substantial financial value to Harley-Davidson.
As Vice President of General Merchandise, he repositioned the rider accessory department and led the MotorClothes team from $20 million in annual sales to over $100 million in a period of five years.
In the role as Vice President of Business Development, Clyde played a key role in developing strategic direction for the company.
Clyde is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He served on the Board of Trustees for the America Motorcycle Association and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. He also served as an active liaison between the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Harley-Davidson, a relationship that has generated over $31 million in donations since 1981.
Clyde retired from Harley-Davidson in early 2002 and is now active as a consultant and motivational speaker. He enjoys fulfilling his dreams by exploring the world on one of his six Harley-Davidson motorcycles, with his wife, Joan.
Quick Reference Card
Domestic Keynote Fee Range*:
Perfect for:
• Building a brand
• Satisfying customer expectations
• The business process
• Changing the image of the company
• Creating the vision
*Speaker fees vary based on event location, program duration and other factors, and are subject to change without notice. Please contact us for an accurate fee quote for your event.
Clyde Fessler, the former Vice President of Business Development for Harley-Davidson Motor Company played an integral part in their dramatic turnaround over the past 24 years.
Fessler joined Harley-Davidson in 1977 as the Advertising and Promotions Manager, and soon was promoted to Director of Marketing Services. In that position he lead the establishment of Harley Owners Group, which now has over 500,000 members and is the largest enthusiast club in the world.
As General Sales Manager in the early 1980s, he established new policies and programs, many of which are still in effect today. As Director of Licensing, Clyde created a new business that has received national recognition enhancing the brand to the general public as well as adding substantial financial value to Harley-Davidson.
As Vice President of General Merchandise, he repositioned the rider accessory department and led the MotorClothes team from $20 million in annual sales to over $100 million in a period of five years.
In the role as Vice President of Business Development, Clyde played a key role in developing strategic direction for the company.
Clyde is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He served on the Board of Trustees for the America Motorcycle Association and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. He also served as an active liaison between the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Harley-Davidson, a relationship that has generated over $31 million in donations since 1981.
Clyde retired from Harley-Davidson in early 2002 and is now active as a consultant and motivational speaker. He enjoys fulfilling his dreams by exploring the world on one of his six Harley-Davidson motorcycles, with his wife, Joan.
The Harley Davidson Turnaround Story
Clyde’s presentation captures the Harley-Davidson turnaround story and adds mystique… the ability of the brand to bring together, in unique and surprising ways, seemingly disparate combinations of products, people, processes, and experiences. As a proven, experienced, successful marketing strategist, Clyde will motivate your audience and help direct them to a renewed, heightened level of achievement to reach your goals with pride through a focused business plan including team playing.
Thank you for serving as the keynote speaker at the SAS Executive Conference 'Leveraging Business Analytics to Optimize Your Manufacturing Enterprise.' Your insightful comments established the foundation upon which the remainder of the conference was built. We look forward to working with you again. — SAS Americas Marketing and Support
Our meeting was a success and Clyde Fessler was one of the main reasons for that success. WMS couldn't have selected a more appropriate speaker for our meeting. His message of the Harley Davidson re-emergence rang home with our audience. Clyde grabbed everyone's attention as he provided examples of the challenges they faced, the actions implemented and the results of their efforts. He did a fantastic job of engaging our management team. In short, with Clyde's presentation we achieved our goals for the meeting! — Vice President Human Resources, WMS Gaming
Clyde's experience with Harley Davidson during their struggles and eventual comeback gave us much to ponder. All of our attendees continue to express how much they enjoyed Clyde's presentation. His arrival on the Harley was spectacular and added to the excitement we hoped to generate from our General Session. — President & CEO, Precision Auto Care
Thank you for making the 2003 Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism a success. We have already received rave reviews from the conference attendees regarding your presentation. The energetic and innovative message you shared was clear - no obstacle is too great to overcome. — Executive Director, Arkansas Tourism
