Oofos has named veteran footwear market leader Angel Martinez to the company’s Board of directors. Most recently, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deckers Brands, Martinez, retired in 2016 after 40 years in the athletic and lifestyle space, beginning as an owner of a running specialty shop in the SFO/Oakland Bay Area.
Oofos said Martinez “has an illustrious history as a leader and visionary within the footwear industry, including holding impactful roles at Reebok, The Rockport Company, Keen, and Deckers Brands.”
Martinez is the former EVP and chief marketing officer of the Reebok portfolio of brands. As one of the company’s founding employees, his vision was said to have been instrumental in creating the Reebok brand worldwide. He later was named president and CEO of The Rockport Company, a subsidiary of Reebok International, Ltd. Martinez is also a founding member of the Board of Advisors of the Reebok Human Rights Awards, a program he championed.
Martinez helped launch Keen Footwear, where he was the CEO and vice chairman following his retirement from Reebok in 2001 after 21 years with the company. In 2005, Martinez joined Deckers Brands as president and CEO, was named Chairman of the Board in 2008 and retired from Deckers Brands in 2016.
During his career, Martinez has been honored with numerous awards, including “Person of the Year” by Footwear News in 1997 and again in 2008. He is only one of two people to receive the award twice in his career.
“We are thrilled to welcome Angel Martinez to our OOfamily,” expressed Lou Panaccione, founder and CEO of Oofos. “Angel is a true pioneer of the footwear industry and continues to make a lasting impact by sharing his knowledge with others. His history of growing a business through foundational brand positioning will help us to strengthen Oofos’ core identity as the leader in the global recovery footwear category.”
Since 1998, Martinez has devoted time to sharing his experience and expertise by serving on the Board of Directors of Tupperware (TUP) from 1998 until 2020, the Board of Genesco, Inc. (GCO), the parent of Journeys, and currently the Board of Korn Ferry. He has also served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He currently serves on the Executive Committee and vice chairman of the Board of the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, a music venue serving Santa Barbara County.
Martinez joins Oofos Co-Founders Lou Panaccione and Paul Brown on the Oofos Board of Directors with other footwear industry veterans Timothy Davis, Michael Harrison, Suzy Biszantz, Thomas Wolff, and John Legere.
Images courtesy Oofos
