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Article: SARA LEE'S PIRATE KING; Chief of Jimmy Dean motivates staff to meet $1-billion goal with a hearty 'Arrggh!'.(News)(Jim Ruehlmann- Jimmy Dean )
- Article from:
- Crain's Chicago Business
- Article date:
- December 18, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: JULIE JARGON
Jim Ruehlmann hopes to turn Jimmy Dean into a billion-dollar brand for Sara Lee Corp. by making his employees act like pirates.
His swashbuckling management approach is unorthodox: Top performers get "shiver me timbers'' awards and employees call him "captain.'' But his task is critical to CEO Brenda Barnes' transformation of Sara Lee-a goal she won't meet without growth in the company's biggest unit, the $2.53-billion North American meat division. Jimmy Dean accounts for more than 25% of the division's sales.
Mr. Ruehlmann, 49, has already delivered some positive numbers. Supermarket sales of Jimmy Dean frozen sausage have ...