Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> October 29, 2001

Daniel Spalding – School Specialty Inc (schs)

DANIEL P. SPALDING became Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of School Specialty, Inc. in February 1998. From 1996 to February 1998, Mr. Spalding served as President of the Educational Supplies and Products Division of US Office Products. From 1988 to 1996, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of School Specialty. Prior to 1988, Mr. Spalding was an Officer of JanSport, a manufacturer of sports apparel and backpacking equipment. Mr. Spalding was a co-founder of JanSport and served as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1977 to 1988. He focused on marketing and positioning the JanSport brand. Mr. Spalding managed JanSport's transition from an independent company to a division of a Fortune 500 company. Mr. Spalding originally acquired JanSport from K2 Skis in 1980. He successfully sold the company in 1985, prior to taking over School Specialty, which was then Valley School Supply, a $22 million distributor of educational products. Mr. Spalding then began a consolidation effort buying 32 companies and in the process selling School Specialty to US Office Products, which was spun out two years later as a separate public company. Mr. Spalding has been a Director of the National School Supply and Equipment Association since 1992 and completed his term as the association's Chairman in November 1997. Mr. Spalding is presently a director on the boards of StandardsWork, U.S. Tire & Exhaust, Town & Country Electric, the Appleton Education Foundation and the Community Blood Center. Profile
TWST: Can we start out with a history and overview of School Specialty,

Inc.?

Mr. Spalding: School Specialty is the largest provider of supplemental

educational materials to both public and