Grendene USA, the U.S. distributor for sandal brands Rider, Ipanema, Grendha, Zaxy and Cartago, announced that Kelly Schmidt has joined the company as the director of sales and merchandising for Rider and Cartago.
Schmidt brings over 20 years of executive wholesale experience to her role at Grendene USA, including a 15-year focus on apparel and footwear. Known for consistently generating a variety of innovative sales, marketing and operational strategies focused on driving bottom line results, Schmidt successfully grew the commercial side of Altama Footwear over 400 percent. Prior to joining Grendene USA, Schmidt spent eight years at Okabashi, where she launched the line of its sister brand, OKA b. Schmidt served as vice president and led brand growth and distribution from a small number of independent boutiques to worldwide distribution in some of the finest retailers and resorts in the world.
“I’ve always been fond of Grendene’s commitment to creating high-quality products for the market,” said Schmidt. “The company’s global distribution network continues to grow at a rapid pace and I look forward to continuing this momentum by incorporating innovative marketing strategies to reach new customers in one of the most competitive markets in the world. I’m thrilled to join this dynamic team and to represent such a strong collection of brands.”
