Escalade Inc. (NASDAQ: ESCA) appointed Patrick J. Griffin as chief executive officer and president, effective March 5, the sporting goods manufacturer announced. Griffin had been serving as interim CEO and president since October.

The Evansville, Indiana-based company's board of directors made the appointment permanent following Griffin's interim role. Walter P. Glazer Jr., Escalade's chairman, said Griffin demonstrated strategic leadership and understanding of the company's culture during his interim tenure.

Griffin has been with Escalade since 2002 in various roles and has served as a director and vice president of corporate development and investor relations since 2012. Before joining Escalade, he was president of Martin Yale Group, a former Escalade subsidiary, and held sales, marketing and product management positions within the company.

Earlier in his career, Griffin worked in business development and strategic planning roles at Network Commerce, Webcentric and Koch Industries. He served on the board of Stiga Sports AB from 2007 to 2018 and has been on the Regency Properties Board of Managers since 2024.

Griffin holds an MBA and master's degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and bachelor's degrees in history and economics from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Founded in 1922, Escalade designs, manufactures and sells sporting goods, safety, fitness and recreation equipment. The company's brands include Goalrilla basketball hoops, STIGA tennis tables, Bear Archery equipment, Brunswick Billiards tables, and RAVE Sports water recreation products.