Church & Dwight Taps James Cragie as CEO

Church & Dwight Co., the Princeton, NJ-based maker of Arm & Hammer baking soda, named James Craigie chief executive, effective July 6, succeeding Robert Davies, who will remain chairman. Mr. Davies has been Church & Dwight’s chief executive since 1995. He added the chairman’s title in 2001.

Mr. Craigie was most recently chief executive of athletic equipment maker Spalding Sports Worldwide, which he joined in 1998 after being recruited by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm. Russell Corp. bought most of Spalding’s sporting goods assets last year.

Before joining Spalding, Mr. Craigie spent 15 years at Kraft Foods and General Foods, most recently as executive vice president and general manager of beverages and desserts. He previously oversaw the company’s dinners and Polly-O dairy products divisions.