Varsity Brands Appoints Jeffrey Drees As President Of Herff Jones

DALLAS and INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Varsity Brands, the leading company that empowers young people through sport, spirit and achievement, today announced that Jeffrey Drees will join its Herff Jones business division as President, effective January 9^th. Mr. Drees joins Herff Jones from Flowserve Corporation, where he most recently served as President, Industrial Product Division. He will report directly to Varsity Brands' President and CEO, Matthew E. Rubel.

He succeeds John Newby, who will assume new leadership responsibilities, including oversight of Varsity Brands' cross-division IMPACT program.

Mr. Rubel stated, "The Varsity Brands mission of empowering young people by encouraging participation, recognizing achievement and building community and school spirit remains as vibrant as ever. Jeff is uniquely qualified to contribute to the fulfillment of this mission as Herff Jones' new President. This includes a proven track record leading and growing highly-integrated companies with a focus on the customer, as well as a powerful understanding of the many ways in which Herff Jones has the potential to enrich the lives of young people. I am confident he will bring a clear vision, management acumen and proven leadership experience to his new role."

Mr. Rubel continued, "I am also deeply gratified that we will continue to benefit from John Newby's passion and experience – most notably through his leadership of our IMPACT program."

Mr. Drees added, "Herff Jones is a proud company with an inspired and vital mission to help students celebrate their achievements and, in the process, strengthen their schools and their communities. I'm eager to get to work building on this foundation while working with my colleagues to build and execute on growth opportunities."

Mr. Drees' career affirms his ability to improve and grow complex B2B, sales-driven businesses. In addition to his most recent role at Flowserve, Mr. Drees' earlier responsibilities included serving as President, Flow Control Division. He joined Flowserve after a 12-year career at Schneider Electric, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in service as Executive Vice President, Professional Services – a new, $2B business focused on energy management services.  His tenure at Schneider also included serving as President, US, with responsibility for more than 18,000 employees and 30 manufacturing plants. Earlier in his career, Mr. Drees worked at both Caterpillar, Inc. and Honeywell International, Inc. in a series of commercial, project management, and marketing roles. He started his career in the US Air Force where he worked as a systems specialist responsible for maintaining, repairing and installing building automation systems in Europe, the Middle East and Turkey. 

Mr. Drees earned a BS in Electronics Management from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from Aurora University.

About Varsity Brands
Varsity Brands is the leading organization that empowers young people by encouraging participation, recognizing achievement and building community and school spirit. This mission is fulfilled through three unique but interrelated businesses: Herff Jones, A Varsity Achievement Brand; BSN SPORTS, a Varsity Sport Brand; and Varsity Spirit.  Together, these assets promote personal, school and community pride through their customizable products and programs to elementary and middle schools, high schools, and colleges and universities, as well as church organizations, professional and collegiate sports teams and corporations. Through its 8,200 dedicated employees and independent representatives, Varsity Brands reaches its individual and institutional customers each year via catalog, telesales, e-commerce sites and direct sales channels. For more information about Varsity Brands, please visit www.varsitybrands.com.

About Herff Jones, A Varsity Achievement Brand
Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for young people. A division of Varsity Brands, Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, yearbooks, and motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 2,000 employees, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience and celebrate academic milestones for nearly 95 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com.

Contact
Sheila Noone
[email protected] 
901-251-5959 

Perry Street Communications
Jonathan Morgan
[email protected]
212-333-5525
214-965-9955

SOURCE Varsity Brands

Related Links

http://www.varsitybrands.com