Two new buyers have joined Worldwide as of July 2011. Steve Apple is responsible for Fishing Tackle, Marine/RV, Hardware and Pet Supplies and Ryan Wells is the new Footwear Buyer.
Steve Apple has been a sport-fishing guide in Alaska for seven years and spent some time guiding in Chile as well. He has spent most of his spare time hunting and fishing. In addition to his experience in the outdoors, he has been working at Filson in Seattle for the last six years.
I am excited to be working at Worldwide and look forward to using my knowledge of the outdoors and my sales experience to further enhance growth to our business. I am also eager to meet the Worldwide members and vendors and gain lasting relationships.
In college, Ryan worked for several years as a store manager at Play It Again Sports. He continued his retail experience at Columbia Sportswears Employee Store as the footwear department manager. After nearly ten years in retail, Ryan has spent the last four years as a sales representative, initially representing Columbia Footwear/Sorel boots and most recently representing Danner/LaCrosse.
I am excited to work with the Worldwide membership, as well as our vendors, to continue to build on the success that we currently see in the footwear category. Additionally, I grew up fifteen minutes from the Worldwide office and it is good to be back in Seattle with my wife and three children and near friends again.
