THE leadership shakeups at Harley-Davidson continue with the latest announcement of its two new board members.
The pair will fill spots opened up by recent retirees, whose time with the company was ticking following a boardroom proxy battle which ended earlier this year.
Harley-Davidson’s ongoing sales slump is one of its biggest problems[/caption]
Artie Starrs is set to take over as CEO during a tumultuous time for the company[/caption]
Yeti’s CEO of 10 years and others are also joining the company[/caption]
Starrs has gone out of his way to get the dealership experience before his first day on the job[/caption]
Matt Reintjes, President and CEO of Yeti since 2015, and Daniel Nova, of venture capital fund Highland Capital Partners, have officially been named to Harley-Davidson’s Board of Directors.
Reintjes is particularly known for his involvement in and oversight of Yeti’s expansion into international markets.
Under his stewardship, the company also went public in 2018 following rapid expansion in multiple areas during the years immediately following his appointment.
Reintjes is also joining the board’s Audit and Finance, and Corporate Governance committees, a fitting match for his experience with guiding the Yeti brand.
Nova also brings unique expertise perfect for Harley-Davidson’s current situation, specializing in advising companies through periods of transition.
Nova has been a General Partner of Highland Capital since 1999, and has served as Chief Investment Officer of special purpose acquisition company Highland Transcend Partners I Corp since 2020 when it first registered with the SEC.
Nova is also joining the board’s Human Resources, Sustainability and Safety, and Nominating and Corporate Governance committees, all of which fit with his transitional skill set.
The two will fill the spots left by the retirements of Sara Levinson and Norman Thomas Linebarger.
Levinson had been with the company since 1996, and was also its first female board member, while Linebarger joined in 2008.
Both had become board directors by the time of their retirements earlier this month. Both were also given significant blame for the slump in sales that coincided with their time as board members.
CEO SHAKEUP
The proxy battle from May ended with the pair and current CEO and Chairman of the Board Jochen Zeitz being brought back, but agreeing to step down eventually.
Zeitz’s coming departure is a result of concern for low sales and excess stock, as well as his push for online sales to circumvent the dealership experience, coming to a head.
Zeitz will be succeeded by Artie Starrs, formerly of TopGolf and Pizza Hut, in October. He will stay with the company in an advisory role through February 2026 in order to facilitate a smooth transition of leadership duties.
The main concerns surrounding Starrs’ imminent appointment include a lack of automotive background in any capacity, let alone motorcycles specifically.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. Announces Appointment of Two New Independent Directors
The following press release announcing the new Board of Directors appointments was shared via the official Harley-Davidson website earlier this week:
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (“Harley-Davidson”) (NYSE: HOG) today announced that its Board of Directors (“Board”) has appointed two new independent directors, Daniel Nova and Matt Reintjes, effective September 15, 2025. Mr. Nova currently serves as General Partner of Highland Capital Partners, a venture capital fund. Mr. Reintjes is President and Chief Executive Officer at YETI Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: YETI).
“Daniel and Matt distinguished themselves during our search with their broad business expertise spanning commercial strategy, brand and product development, operations, supply chain, and finance. These are skills that will be invaluable to Harley-Davidson, the Board, and Artie Starrs, as he steps into the CEO role later this year,” said Troy Alstead, Presiding Director. “Daniel has a proven track record of investing in and advising companies through transformative growth, coupled with his deep corporate governance, finance, and capital allocation experience. Matt brings the perspective of a successful, tenured CEO of a public company, leading a premium outdoor brand with an intensely loyal customer base, and the demonstrated ability to create innovative products and spur international growth. Their strengths will further enhance our Board, support the execution of our strategy and help propel Harley-Davidson toward its future vision.”
Mr. Nova has served as a General Partner of Highland Capital Partners, a venture capital firm, since 1999. At Highland Capital Partners, he has played a critical role advising companies through periods of strategic growth and transition. Mr. Nova has extensive board experience at public companies, including thredUP and Eversource Energy, where he was named Lead Independent Trustee in 2024.
“I am honored to join the Harley-Davidson board, and I look forward to working with the Board to continue building on the company’s storied legacy and advancing its transformation to drive growth and value creation,” said Mr. Nova.
Mr. Reintjes has served as President and CEO of YETI Holdings, Inc. since 2015, and during his tenure has overseen the company’s transformation into a leading global outdoor brand with a growing international customer base. He previously held executive roles at Vista Outdoor and Danaher Corporation, building a strong reputation in product innovation and operational excellence.
“Since 1903, the unique and iconic Harley-Davidson brand has represented a sense of freedom and the adventurous spirit of our riders. I am excited to join my fellow Board members in extending Harley-Davidson’s cultural legacy and delivering further value for our stakeholders,” said Mr. Reintjes.
Directors Sara Levinson and Norman Thomas Linebarger announced their retirement from the Board on September 9, 2025, and September 10, 2025, respectively.
Mr. Alstead added, “We are deeply grateful to Tom and Sara for their years of dedicated service to Harley-Davidson and our shareholders. Throughout their tenure, they have guided the company through significant challenges with steady leadership and unwavering commitment. We thank them sincerely for their contributions and wish them the very best in their future endeavors.”
With the addition of Mr. Nova and Mr. Reintjes, the Board will have added four new independent members to its nine-member board in the last three years. In addition, as previously disclosed, the Board appointed Troy Alstead as Presiding Director effective July 30, 2025, and Chairman of the Board effective October 1, 2025.
However, it’s hoped that his expertise in cultivating the TopGolf experience will help restore what investment firm H Partners called an issue of “cultural depletion” within the company.
While Starrs lacks any significant prior experience with Harley-Davidson as a commercial or cultural product, he recently took the steps to rectify this, earning one dealership owner’s support before officially taking over.
In this sense, Starrs is off to a better start with dealer relations than Zeitz’s experience, as highlighted by House of Harley-Davidson president Jeff Binkert’s comments on Zeitz’s retirement.
“If you wanted to know the number of Harley dealers who are happy that a new CEO is coming in, the number is all of them,” Binkert told local Fox affiliate WITI in April.
“[Zeitz hadn’t] connected with the customers and the dealers in general, and I just think, you know, it’s time for new leadership,” he furthered.
Dealership closures were plentiful under Zeitz’s tenure, further fueling tensions between the former top dog and local franchise owners.
