John Case - Founder and President of F.A.T. Leadership, Inc.
During his 30 year career, John J. Case has used his leadership skills and personal philosophy of "Focus, Accountability and Teamwork" to help lead well known companies to the forefront of their industries. As a top executive at both La-Z-Boy and Electrolux, he instilled a sense of purpose and direction that led to historical “highs” at both companies.
In 2008 he chose to redirect his efforts from the boardroom to the classroom, in order to fulfill his belief that leadership needs to be a much more important subject in America’s business schools. Serving as an “Executive in Residence” at the famed Henry B. Tippie School of Management at the University of Iowa, John consolidated his views on integrity and leadership and created a curriculum he used as a guest lecturer for MBA students at the Des Moines campus and at the international program campus in Asolo, Italy. His ability to take a complex topic and distill it in to a simple, easily understood format resonated with students, as did his personal anecdotes from his career that brought the lessons to life. Whether it’s as a keynote speaker or conducting a two day Leadership Workshop, those same lessons serve as the basis of the work he now does through F.A.T. Leadership, which he founded in late 2008.
John started his career at La-Z-Boy in 1977 and held a variety of management positions with the company. In 1986, he was named vice president of marketing and took responsibility for the iconic La-Z-Boy brand, which was successfully reinvented to appeal to younger, more affluent consumers. In 1998 he was named to Advertising Age magazine's "Top 100 Marketers" list. In 1999 he was appointed president of La-Z-Boy Residential, the corporation's billion dollar flagship division. The next five years saw record sales and profits for that core business, driven by its success at attracting younger consumers and also through the expansion of its proprietary network of retail stores.
In 2004, John joined Swedish based Electrolux AB, one of the largest home appliance producers in the world. As President and CEO of Electrolux Home Care Products North America, he implemented his Focus, Accountability and Teamwork program from his first day. The result was a near record turnaround and the company being re-established as a leading player in the floor care industry. In both 2006 and 2007 it was named by Wal-Mart as Supplier of the Year in its category. In 2008 he made the decision to “give back” and begin his academic and consulting work.
In addition to his tenure as "Executive in Residence" at the Henry B. Tippie School of Management at the University of Iowa, John also has served on the executive board of the Sam Walton Center For Retailing Excellence at the University of Arkansas and on the Leadership Industry Council for the City of Hope Cancer Research center in Duarte, California.