Foundry Foreman: Rowland Hanson
Rowland is also founder & president of CRH & Associates.
Prior to CRH & Associates, he was Vice President of Corporate Communications
at Microsoft, where he created and executed the company's highly acclaimed
branding strategy which included the market introduction of Microsoft's most
popular product—a graphical interface that he named "Windows." Several books
published on the history of Microsoft document the strategies executed that
led to the dominance of the Microsoft and Windows brands.
Prior to Microsoft, he served as Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for
Neutrogena Corporation, a skin care and cosmetics company that registered
phenomenal growth thru new product introductions and global partnering before
being acquired by Johnson & Johnson. J&J did not acquire Neutrogena for a
significant premium because they could not replicate the products. J&J
determined that they could not replicate the strength of the Neutrogena
brand.
For several years Rowland served on the board of directors and as branding / business
development consultant for The Nautilus Group (NYSE: NLS), the developer and
marketer of such brands as Bowflex, Nautilus, Schwinn Fitness, and
StairMaster. Over the last several years, The Nautilus Group has experienced
significant revenue growth and is rapidly becoming the Microsoft of the
health and fitness business.
Rowland received his technical foundry training at Loyola-Marymount
University (BBA) and the Wharton School of Business (MBA). With his technical
skills in hand, he managed to serve in a wide variety of marketing apprentice
positions at General Mills and Carnation Company (now Nestle U.S.A.).
