Summit Golf Brands, the manufacturer of high-end golf apparel and sportswear, announced the promotion of Jack Lessing to company president. In this role, he will oversee all revenue channels for each of the company’s apparel brands, including B. Draddy, Zero, Restriction, Zero Restriction, Fairway & Greene, and EP New York, and the functional areas of the business that support them.
Chad Delp, Chair and CEO said, “Our company has experienced significant growth across all brands and channels in recent years and become more complex. To effectively manage this increased complexity and position ourselves for continued growth, I proposed to the Board that we appoint Jack as president of Summit Golf Brands while I continue in my roles as chairman and CEO. This new structure will enable us to better align management across all areas of our business.
“Candidly, this promotion just formalizes how we have worked together for a while, and I’m delighted to officially recognize Jack’s contributions to Summit Golf Brands in this way. His exceptional leadership in managing our wholesale business, which is the cornerstone of our company, and building the industry’s strongest sales team, gives me full confidence in his ability to replicate this success across other areas of the company.”
Lessing has been with the company for the past 11 years. He brings a “wealth of experience and accomplishments to the brand and its leadership team.” For the past eight years, he has been the executive vice president and global head of sales for Summit’s brand portfolio. During his tenure managing the sales organization of over fifty sales professionals, the wholesale business grew in several existing and new business verticals. The core green grass business increased its market share while strengthening partnerships with premiere golf clubs and resorts worldwide. The company also entered the collegiate market and now boasts over 100 collegiate licenses, selling in bookstores and fan shops across the U.S. Lessing also helped globalize the brand’s reach, opening distribution in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Before overseeing global sales for all brands, Lessing played an integral role in the launch and development of B. Draddy, working with the company’s creative director, Billy Draddy. Lessing was B. Draddy’s first salesman and, later, the brand’s national sales manager. Lessing is an avid golfer. While attending the University of Richmond, he was captain of the men’s golf team.
On the promotion, Lessing said, “I am honored to have the opportunity and responsibility to serve as the company’s president. We will continue our unwavering focus on uniquely servicing our wholesale partners and customers with world-class product and service. I am grateful to Chad for this opportunity and excited to keep building on the momentum our brands and company have.”
Images courtesy Summit Golf Brands
