Icebreaker named Deb Boswell as its director of marketing – North America. The New Zealand merino wool specialist also announced a new Canadian marketing manager, new e-commerce chief, new kids manager, and a global sales operations manager.
Boswell has
been US Marketing Manager for Icebreaker since 2006. Before joining
Icebreaker, Boswell founded and served as a company director and
account director at the Wellington based Chilli Marketing, establishing
a New York subsidiary, managing the agencys daily operations and
overseeing the companys short- and long-term business development. She
worked on retail and apparel accounts, leading marketing projects for
New Zealand designers and apparel manufacturers, including an
up-and-coming performance apparel manufacturer called Icebreaker.
Boswell earned her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management with
first class honors at the University of Otago in New Zealand. She will
report to Icebreaker North American President Russ Hopcus and Vice
President of Global Marketing Rosanne Palmisano.
Among other changes:
Kent Hawkins is being named Canadian Marketing Manager, succeeding Frith Campbell who is returning to New Zealand. Kent brings to the role an in-depth knowledge of the Canadian market and has developed marketing programs for companies such as Bauer Nike Hockey, Columbia Outerwear, Rogers, Proctor and Gamble, Labatt Breweries, Globe and Mail, Pepsi, Microsoft, and more. He has a masters degree in environmental design, a Bachelor of Commerce and is a professional ski guide.
Steve Gehlen has been named General Manager Global E-Commerce, based in Portland, Oregon USA, reporting to Tony Balfour, General Manager – Markets. The role has been created to drive Icebreakers rapidly emerging e-commerce opportunity an online community. The company recently began a blog at icebreaker.com and new forays into social media. Gehlan comes from an e-commerce and Internet business building background launching the original Nike.com site, leading Hollywood.coms internet video business, and directing the internet at Oregon Health and Science University. He most recently launched his own successful Internet business. Gehlan reports to Balfour and Palmisano.
Michelle Mitchell and Rosie Futschek are rejoining the company to lead its Global Kids business. Mitchell is taking up the newly created role of General Manager Kids, and Rosie is Product Line Manager Kids. This new Kids business unit has been created to develop the Icebreaker Kids brand and accelerate the huge opportunity the company sees to introduce the joys of merino to youngsters.
Mitchell, who will report to Balfour, worked for Icebreaker in 1996, bravely leaving behind her career in law to sell a completely unknown brand of merino clothing called Icebreaker. Over the years she led various areas of the Icebreaker business including the Marketing department, the Product Design and Development team, New Zealand, Australia, HR, IP, Canada, E-commerce and Retail. She was at Icebreaker for 11 years before leaving to move to Wanaka in 2007.
Futschek, who reports to Mitchell, started with Icebreaker in 2003 after managing Icebreaker retailer “Racers Edge” in Wanaka. She spent five years in the role of South Island Account Manager, and she was a key player in many of the early Icebreaker trade shows. Now, both with families and a long-standing global perspective, they are ideally suited to take Icebreaker Kids to the next stage.
Shane Woonton will become Global Sales Operations Manager reporting to Balfour. He will lead several key initiatives including global demand planning, pricing strategy and various sales and marketing initiatives. Woonton has worked extensively in the outdoor industry (both wholesale and retail) including Merchandise Manager for Outdoor Performance Pty Ltd., which manages the Columbia, Mountain Hardwear and Montrail brands in Australia and NZ, as well as Rebel Sports and Paddy Pallin in Australia. An outdoor enthusiast, Shane is a product geek and understands the wholesale and retail business models intimately.
