callaway:
change at the top

the resignation last week of callaway’s president and ceo george fellows, and the appointment of tony thornley (shown) as interim president and ceo, provided some clues as to where the company may be headed as it searches for a permanent successor. fellows came to callaway with an impressive résumé that included a lengthy stint as an executive with revlon. however, many felt fellows wasn’t a “golf guy,” and that fact, coupled with the economic downturn and callaway’s lackluster financial performance, made his departure inevitable. upon taking over, thornley made two things clear: he was not “taking a short-term view” of the job despite the interim tag, and the company would boost its marketing efforts, because callaway’s message had “sometimes been overshadowed by the sheer volume of competitive marketing.” regarding whether or not the next ceo would be an avid golfer (something thornley is), the company said, “while it is not a prerequisite, we feel that a passion for the game is a valuable characteristic at all levels of the organization. connecting with golfers is at the core of what we strive to do and sharing their passion lends to lasting relationships and a better understanding of golfer’s needs.” the industry has no shortage such people. —E. Michael Johnson