ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 3, 1997 TAG: 9701030094
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. has a new chief executive: Perry D. Odak, a veteran executive of Fortune 500 companies and, most recently, consultant to a gun manufacturer. Odak's job is to bring business realism to Ben & Jerry's tradition of corporate socialism.
``I don't have much of a business background,'' said co-founder Ben Cohen, now chairman of Ben & Jerry's, which has recently fallen on hard times.
Odak, who was introduced to the company by a Ben & Jerry's board member, replaces Robert Holland Jr., a former partner for the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm who resigned in September after just 18 months as chief executive. In fact, Holland never even moved to Vermont. In contrast, Odak plans to relocate his family to Burlington.
Holland conceded at the time of his departure the company needed someone with ``world-class experience.''
Odak, 51, has been senior vice president of worldwide operations for Armour-Dial, general manager of marketing and distribution for cosmetics firm Jovan Inc. and president of consumer products for Atari. Most recently, Odak was a senior consultant for New Haven-based US Repeating Arms Co., which makes Winchester rifles.
-The Boston Globe
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB