DON GERMANO’S EXPERIENCE
Don Germano brings a powerful combination of financial acumen, operational expertise, and strategic foresight to every executive role he takes on. With over three decades of experience managing multi-billion-dollar enterprises, Don has built a reputation for driving profit growth, enhancing shareholder value, and aligning financial strategy with business performance.
As the current CEO and Board Member of FeraDyne Outdoors, Don successfully led a financial turnaround by reducing costs of goods sold by over $4 million annually, lowering logistics expenses by $1 million, and cutting inventory by nearly 50%—all while boosting customer satisfaction and driving e-commerce sales. These results exemplify Don Germano’s unmatched ability to connect financial strategy to operational execution.
At Dick’s Sporting Goods, Don Germano served as Executive Vice President of Stores and Supply Chain, where he played a pivotal role in boosting EBT from $510M to $2.025B. Don implemented a holistic leadership model that integrated balanced scorecards, performance management systems, and rigorous analytics to optimize both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability.
One of Don Germano’s key strengths is designing and executing financial systems that support scalable, efficient, and customer-focused operations. While serving as President of Follett Higher Education Group, Don reversed a multi-year sales decline, increased revenue, streamlined inventory, and drove a 30% improvement in cash flow. These efforts underscore Don’s focus on financial discipline as a cornerstone of sustainable success.
In addition to leading large P&L portfolios, Don Germano has a deep understanding of capital investments, supply chain economics, and revenue optimization strategies. He has consistently created value through margin improvement initiatives, cost control frameworks, and capital-efficient store expansion projects, including managing over 1,000 retail locations and dozens of new concept stores.
Don Germano is also known for implementing finance-driven cultural transformations. He ensures that every team member—from executives to store associates—understands how their daily efforts impact the company’s financial health. At Dick’s Sporting Goods, Don introduced financial education programs and cross-functional alignment processes to foster a “think like an owner” mentality across the organization.
Don Germano believes that transparent, data-driven decision-making is key to navigating today’s dynamic economic landscape. His leadership has led to more resilient organizations capable of adapting to market fluctuations, mitigating risk, and capitalizing on emerging opportunities in both digital and physical marketplaces.
An advocate for continuous improvement, Don Germano’s thought leadership on financial best practices is grounded in real-world application. He has shared his views on aligning financial processes with customer needs in both internal forums and public platforms. Don maintains that when financial systems are built around customer-first principles, companies achieve not only better profits but greater loyalty and trust.
Don Germano holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy—credentials that reflect both his analytical rigor and strategic mindset. Whether optimizing balance sheets, evaluating acquisition targets, or streamlining operational expenses, Don approaches every financial challenge with a clear mission: to create enduring value through disciplined leadership.
Today, Don Germano continues to guide executive teams and financial stakeholders toward strategies that are as responsible as they are profitable, firmly establishing himself as a leader who understands that finance is not just about numbers—it’s about purpose, people, and progress.