Type B manufacturer Storyteller Overland said it is planning a leadership transition that will see founder Jeffrey Hunter step down as CEO and into the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Current Storyteller Overland Chief Strategy Officer Neil Grimmer will assume the role of CEO.
Storyteller said the transition reflects the natural evolution of a company that has expanded from a seven-person launch team in Birmingham, Alabama to a full-scale adventure lifestyle brand with a nationwide dealer network.
Hunter started the company in 2018 and will now step out of the day-to-day executive operations. He said he will continue as chairman while remaining deeply engaged with the brand and community he helped to create.
“I am beyond grateful to the entire Storyteller team and community for their creativity, trust and partnership in building what has become the most unique and special adventure-ready lifestyle brand of its type anywhere on the planet,” Hunter said. “While it is always stunning to look back on the depth of what we have been able to achieve together in such a relatively short period of time, it is even more inspiring to look over the horizon and imagine all the wholesome radness that is still stretched out ahead of us into the future.”
It is with that in mind, Hunter said, he is excited to announce his friend Grimmer as the company’s next CEO.
“As any business builder or founder will tell you, it is a rare blessing to have such ease in making a transition like this,” Hunter said, “but after working closely with Neil as our chief strategy officer … I have observed all of his most soulful human characteristics combined with the finer points of his exceptional business acumen come together in ways that give me full assurance he is the right person for this role at this important moment in our shared history.”
The company said Grimmer began his career as senior designer at IDEO, where he worked on innovation for Fortune 500 companies.
He went on to co-found Plum Organics in 2007. Grimmer grew Plum into the number one organic baby food brand before selling to the Campbell Soup Company.
Grimmer had served as the Harley-Davidson Brand President before joining Storyteller as chief strategy officer in 2024.
The company said Grimmer worked closely with Hunter to build out Storyteller’s adventure lifestyle ecosystem, expand its product portfolio and position the company for its next phase of growth.
Grimmer said it is a true honor to step into the role and be trusted to steer Storyteller at such an important moment in the company’s history.
“In my role as CEO, I am in service to our team — the people who bring this brand to life every day — and our dealer and industry partners and ultimately to our owner community, both those already on the road with us and those yet to join the adventure.” Grimmer said. “Storyteller has already built something special: a brand rooted in freedom, adventure and the joy of sharing the journey around the campfire with a growing community of owners who quickly feel like old friends.”
Grimmer said his focus is to stay true to the company’s foundation, strengthen what’s working, and keep pushing into what is next.
“We are going to keep building and learning,” Grimmer said, “as we continue to trailblaze new ways for people to experience the world with Storyteller.”
Hunter said he and Grimmer are aligned on what matters most: building vehicles people trust, growing a community people love and making sure that wherever the next adventure leads, Storyteller is ready to take people there.
“I have complete confidence that Grimmer will be an exceptional steward of all the deep magic and goodness that needs to be protected and preserved with regards to the Storyteller community and brand,” Hunter said. “Likewise, I know he will be equally as effective in leading the charge for change in all the dynamics of our growing business that need to continually evolve and advance. This is a big win for Storytellers everywhere.”
