Gary Cohen, CEO, Qualitor Automotive

Gary Cohen is a global CEO and board director. He is currently CEO of Qualitor Automotive,  Inc., a Wellspring Capital Management portfolio company. Qualitor is a leading diversified supplier of aftermarket safety and wear parts for the automotive industry. Through five global locations and two business units, Qualitor provides wiper blades and auto care accessories  (Pylon) and brake hardware and related components (International Brake Industries) to the automotive aftermarket. Prior to Qualitor, Gary was President and CEO of Timex Group, a  global manufacturer of watches, where he made significant improvements in expanding revenues of key product lines. At Timex, he was responsible for the Timex brand as well as licensed brands including Versace, Ferragamo, Guess, and Ironman.  Prior to joining Timex, Gary was Global VP/General Manager of Playtex, a business unit of  Energizer’s Personal Care division. Among his achievements at Playtex, he helped acquire the  Hawaiian Tropic sun care brand and expanded its distribution internationally. Gary joined  Playtex in 2006 as part of a turnaround team that sold the business to Energizer Holdings.   Gary also held a succession of global marketing positions at P&G/The Gillette Company, each increasing in scale, scope of responsibility and complexity. By developing new products and focusing on transformational cost savings and productivity initiatives, he was able to deliver consistent profit growth in Gillette’s Oral-B and shaving businesses.  Gary is a board director of Horizons National, a not-for-profit that delivers summer and after-school education and enrichment programs to low-income children across the country. He chairs the marketing communications committee and serves on the strategic planning and compensation committees. He is also a board advisor to PrideGear, a start-up that customizes athletic logo-wear for college and club sports teams.  A native of Massachusetts, Gary graduated from Brandeis University and earned his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Gary and his wife, Carolyn, have four daughters and reside in Westport, CT.

Om Podcasten

The road to the middle market CEO corner office is paved with mile markers that guide in surprising, unpredictable, and some might even say “mysterious” ways! But how do you get such a widely coveted position? This is the question often heard during decades of ROI’s executive search interviews, conducted with top-level executives. ROI’s Into the Corner Office podcast is a new inspiration and answer platform which premieres visionary tales of adventure with great endings and highlights, from powerhouse CEOs driving the formidable success of the U.S. economy’s middle market sector. The CEOs behind this impressive growth reveal insights which equipped them to lead their organizations. Showcasing dynamic leadership stories, Into the Corner Office dives into the heart of what informed and formed these CEOs. Guests share their backgrounds, talk about their early years, and explore what shaped them before they were known for their successes in growing, developing, and leading extraordinary middle market companies and teams. Telling their own stories – straight up and right Into the Corner Office.