John Ranelli

John Ranelli is a transformational leader recognized for driving bold turnarounds, revitalizing and growing iconic brands. Over a five-decade career, he has led six of six successful corporate turnarounds, including Timberland, where he drove performance improvements that lifted the stock price from seven to ninety-five dollars in three years, and Central Garden & Pet, where earnings quintupled under his leadership. He has served as CEO or chairman of companies such as Central Garden & Pet, Mikasa, FGX International, Woolrich, and Trilantic Capital Partners. He currently serves on the boards of OrthoLite and Central Garden & Pet.

A former Cold War–era diesel submarine officer, Ranelli learned early that effective leadership depends on relationships. In Submarine Close, coauthored with Captain (Ret.) John McGunnigle, he shares a leadership philosophy forged under pressure beneath the ocean and refined in the boardroom. Their framework—Relationships Before Issues (rB4i™)—offers a timeless, proven approach for building high performance teams through deep relationships.

Ranelli is a Fulbright Scholar and graduate of Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. His leadership insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN, and Bloomberg TV, among other outlets.

Today, he continues to mentor CEOs and executive teams while contributing to nonprofit and philanthropic efforts. Together with his wife, he cofounded the John and Ashley Ranelli Scholar in Cancer Innovation, an endowed fund supporting next-generation cancer researchers. He also serves on the Mass General Hospital Cancer Center Advisory Board.

Learn more at johnranelli.com.