Clyde Fessler - Introduction

The Harley-Davidson marketing story explains the strategy that guided a company, that was on the verge of bankruptcy, to one of the top performing corporations on the New York Stock Exchange, and also one of the most recognized brands in the world.

Clyde Fessler, the man behind the strategy, is our keynote speaker today. He spent almost 25 years creating and leading the plan that built the Brand, a brand that was inducted into the Marketing Hall of fame several years ago.

Over those 25 years at Harley, he held many different marketing positions including:

Director of Marketing

Director of Licensing

General Sales Manager

Vice President of General Merchandise

Vice President of Parts and Accessories

Vice President/Managing Director of Europe

And Vice President of Business Development

Clyde is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He served on the Board of Trustees for the American 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 $51 million in donations.

Clyde Fessler, now retired, is considered by many as the marketing genius behind the dramatic turnaround of Harley-Davidson. He is a man of vision, creativity, strategic thinking, and is now fulfilling his dreams by exploring the world on one of his six Harley-Davidson motorcycles with his wife, Joan.