Fleet Laboratories appoints new president, CEO

LYNCHBURG, Va. Fleet Laboratories, a global manufacturer of personal care and healthcare products, recently named Jeffrey Rowan as its new president and CEO.

Rowan previously was COO of the company. He succeeds Douglas Bellaire, who led the company since 1996, first as president and then as president and CEO.  Bellaire will become vice chairman of the company's board of directors.

After receiving a master's degree from Purdue University's Krannert School of Management in 1983, Rowan's career included a variety of U.S. and international brand marketing positions with General Mills, Bayer Corp. and other companies before joining Fleet in 1998.

An 11-year company veteran, Rowan held several positions at Fleet, where he led the company's expansion into markets around the world. Before becoming COO in August 2007, he was responsible for overseeing global marketing and the company’s international operations.

Rowan anticipates a smooth transition and continued growth for Fleet.

"I'm very optimistic about the future of Fleet Laboratories. We've been placing focus on improving organizational efficiency and strategic alignment, in preparation for our next phase of expansion in the U.S. and abroad," Rowan said. "We anticipate growth will come from both our existing brand portfolio, as well as potential acquisitions of businesses in strategically important markets."