John Shiely, chief executive officer of Briggs & Stratton, will retire December 31 and attend Harvard law school to pursue a career as a law professor.
The board is expected to elect Todd Teske, president and chief operating officer of the company, as the next CEO.
Shiely will retain his position as chairman and director of the board for one more year, if approved by shareholders at the annual meeting October 21.
Shiely began his career at Briggs in 1986 as general counsel. Later he became executive vice president of administration and president before being appointed CEO in 2001 and board chairman in 2003. Shiely will also retire from his post as director and chairman of subsidiary Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group LLC on December 31.
Additionally, he serves as a director of Marshall & Ilsley Corp., The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Quad/Graphics Inc.
Outside his profession, Shiely sits on the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, and plays in his corporate rock band.
Before his time at Briggs, Shiely worked as a tax senior accountant at Arthur Andersen, an associate with the Hughes Hubbard & Reed law firm and an assistant general counsel of Rockwell International Corporation.
Teske, who also serves as president of Briggs & Stratton Power Product Group, has been employed as the COO and president of Briggs since 2008. He began at Briggs in 1996, appointed to head special projects, followed by stints as vice president of corporate development, senior vice president and executive vice president before assuming his current positions.
