Genesco, Inc. appointed Andy Gray as president of the Journeys Group, effective January 3, 2024. He joins the company from Foot Locker, Inc., succeeding Mario Gallione, who announced his retirement plans in August.
As President of Journeys Group, Gray will drive strategic growth for Genesco’s largest business.
“Andy brings invaluable expertise in the areas essential to building the Journeys business for the future, along with a passion for leading youth-focused consumer businesses,” said Genesco Board Chair, President and CEO Mimi E. Vaughn. “He is a visionary leader with extensive experience in athletic and fashion footwear. Andy’s connection to youth culture and the strong brand relationships he’s forged over his accomplished career make him the ideal person to lead the talented team we have in place at Journeys as we work to elevate the business and unlock the tremendous potential we see ahead.”
Gray comes to Genesco from Foot Locker, where he worked for over two decades in senior leadership roles, including EVP, global president of Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs and Sidestep, and EVP, global chief commercial officer.
Gray will leave Foot Locker in January 2023 as global president responsible for the company’s largest global brand portfolio, including oversight of brand building, business innovation and product functions. He has “championed a commercial offense to reach more consumers across core categories, refocused teams on the biggest brands and high ROI-potential regions and repositioned the portfolio to evolve and elevate Foot Locker globally.”
“I’m incredibly excited to join the Genesco team and to lead Journeys—a retail brand I’ve long admired. I see significant runway to capitalize on its unique positioning in the market while further leveraging the unparalleled strength of its vendor partnerships,” said Gray. “There is something really captivating about the power of Journeys’ connection with its teen consumer, and I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running with the team to evolve the business for a new era.”
Gray will join the Journeys leadership team, including COO Mike Sypert, appointed in August, who has managed the responsibilities for Journeys, Journeys Kidz and Little Burgundy’s business, including stores and websites in the U.S. and Canada.
Sypert is a 34-year company veteran who served as Journeys’ executive vice president of sales and retail operations. Vaughn commented, “Mike has provided exceptional leadership already in his new role, and I look forward to his continued contributions in partnership with Andy.”
Photo courtesy Genesco
