Lippert Components Inc. (LCI) has announced that Scott Mereness will be stepping down as president after 24 years with the company to pursue new entrepreneurial opportunities. Mereness will provide assistance to LCI to ensure a smooth transition. Going forward, it is expected that Jason Lippert will assume the title of CEO and president of LCI.
Mereness started his career with LCI in 1994 in the LCI Leadership Training Program as a welder and quickly rose through the ranks holding numerous operational and executive roles including general manager, chief operating officer, and eventually, president. Mereness was one of the company’s first hires in the Executive Leadership Training Program, under the leadership of Jason Lippert. Throughout his tenure, Mereness has helped grow the company from a $120 million Midwestern supplier of primarily manufactured housing products into more than $2 billion global supplier of a broad array of components for recreational vehicles, buses, trailers, pontoon boats, European caravans, and other specialized vehicles. Throughout his tenure, Mereness has overseen the company’s mergers and acquisitions strategy, completing more than 60 acquisitions for LCI in the past 20 years. LCI says Mereness’ legacy will always be credited for his help in molding the company into what it is today.
“I want to give an enormous ‘thank you’ and ‘congratulations’ to Scott for his 24 years of service to LCI and for helping drive the great growth story that has led LCI to where it is today. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for Scott, and there’s no doubt LCI wouldn’t be where it is today without him,” said Jason Lippert, LCI’s CEO. Lippert continued, “I am privileged that LCI has the ability to groom such a high-level leader who now has the skill set and preparation to run a company on his own. I support him as a friend and as a business executive and there is no doubt in my mind that Scott’s entrepreneurial spirit and capacity will bring him success in whatever future endeavors he pursues or in how he applies himself within the world of business. LCI has a very deep and talented bench of executives that will continue to support the company as it moves into this next phase.”
“I want to thank Jason and his father Doug for giving me a chance to work for a small entrepreneurial company. My career at LCI fueled the entrepreneurial leader that I am. I would like to congratulate all of our teams for the accomplishments we’ve achieved together,” said Mereness. “Blood, sweat and tears were what it took to build this great company and so many of you have given that.”
Continued Mereness, “I am among the thousands of LCI team members who love this company greatly. I will miss the people the most. I know the company is in great hands with Jason’s leadership abilities. We have been best friends and business partners our entire careers, and we both want the same going forward.”
