Ashworth, Inc. has appointed international apparel industry veteran Per Gasseholm to the post of Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, effective November 1, 2004.
Originally from Denmark, Mr. Gasseholm, 45, has 20 years of experience in the global apparel industry, including retail, sales, marketing, licensing, merchandising, product development, sourcing and overall brand management. He joins Ashworth from Blue Marlin Corp., where he served as Chief Operating Officer since 1999, and where he was instrumental in the development and execution of a multi-branded, multi-channel strategy.
Previously, Mr. Gasseholm held progressively more responsible positions with Levi Strauss & Co. from 1987 to 1999. With Levi Strauss, he began as a Senior Product Manager in their Nordic Region, based in Helsingborg, Sweden. In 1991, he became Merchandising Manager, Levi's Brand, with its U.K. operations, and in 1994 was a Brussels-based Project Leader on a customer service initiative. Named Merchandising and Design Manager, Levi's Tops in 1995, Mr. Gasseholm came to the San Francisco corporate headquarters in the United States. In 1998, he was promoted to Brand Manager with P&L responsibility for a $2 billion branded business.
Randall L. Herrel, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased to welcome Per Gasseholm to our executive ranks as COO & EVP. His combination of large-company and smaller-company experience, and the range of his entrepreneurial and managerial achievements, make him the ideal candidate to lead Company operations in today's competitive market. Initially, his primary focus will be the Company's supply chain and customer service functions on a global basis.”
Mr. Gasseholm commented, “I am thoroughly impressed with what Ashworth and its leadership have achieved over the last 5 to 10 years. I am looking forward to being an integral part of the team as they continue to further strengthen their leadership position in the industry. This company has exciting opportunities to further expand its branded product portfolio and supply a continuous flow of innovative products to diverse distribution channels.”
