As the year closes, SGB Media remembers the leaders in the active lifestyle industry who passed in 2022 but are remembered for their contributions.

Dennis Brown
Founder, Superfeet

Brown and his partner, Christopher Smith, D.P.M., founded Superfeet in 1977. Combining the knowledge they learned from working at Northwest Podiatric Laboratory, their mission was to bring affordable over-the-counter insoles to the general public. Today, Superfeet is a leading producer of aftermarket insoles.

John Rauvola, president and CEO, Superfeet, said, “In addition to helping create an entire insole industry, Dennis lived a storied life, impacting the lives of countless friends and employees. From becoming one of the first people to parachute behind enemy lines in World War II, to nearly representing Britain in both boxing and soccer in the 1952 Olympics, to establishing more than 60 orthotic product patents, Dennis was a truly inspiring human being. He led a life by a set of core values and will be greatly missed by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

Leonardo Del Vecchio
Chairman, EssilorLuxottica and Founder, Luxottica

Del Vecchio founded Luxottica in 1961, building the business through acquisitions that included Ray-Ban, Oakley brands, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, and Sunglass Hut chains. Luxottica also manufactured frames for designer labels, including Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Prada, and Bulgari, as well as its own brand.

Del Vecchio stepped down from management in 2004 but returned to lead the company for ten years when the brand was in a disruptive period.

In 2018, Del Vecchio, then over 80 years of age, merged the business with France’s Essilor and created one of the largest eyewear companies worldwide. He remained executive chairman of EssilorLuxottica until December 2020, when he passed the leadership to Chief Executive Francesco Milleri.

George Dickerman
Past President, Spalding Sports Worldwide

Dickerman began his career at American Can, the Singer Corporation and the Whittaker Corporation.In 1976, he went to work for Spalding Sports as president, tripling its size, and was instrumental in the brand’s rise to an all-time market share high. Dickerman continued in his position throughout repeated ownership shake-ups before retiring in November 2000.

In 2003, Spalding became a division of the Russell Corporation. The acquisition did not include the company’s golf operations—Top-Flite, Ben Hogan and Strata—which were acquired by Callaway Golf.

Dickerman served as chairman of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), a director of the Tennis Industry Foundation and a founding board member of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts when it was founded in 1996. He was also a trustee on the board of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Pat Johannsen
Founder, Johannsen’s Sporting Goods

Johannsen was a native and lifelong resident of Augusta, GA. He attended Georgia Military and Augusta College and was an active member of the Augusta Country Club, previously serving on the Board of Governors and Chairman of the golf committee, Augusta Golf Association, Athletic Dealers Association, and the Hale Foundation. He served as a former president of the Athletic Booster Club of Aquinas High School and was also a former board member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).

 

 

Bruce Katz
Co-founder Rockport and Founder, of Samuel Hubbard Shoe Company

 

Katz started Rockport Shoe Company, often credited with pioneering the walking shoe category, with his father in 1972 and was its CEO until the company was sold to Reebok in 1986. He later founded and presided over as CEO, of the Samuel Hubbard Shoe Company.

Noah Wheeler, CEO, Samuel Hubbard Shoe Company, said: “Working with Bruce over the past six years has been a continual master class in shoemaking. While we are heartbroken to lose him, our team will continue Bruce’s extraordinary shoemaking legacy. The upcoming introduction of the Performance Walker is the ultimate shoe Bruce dreamed of, and it will honor his genius and is a comforting reminder that he is still on his journey with us.”

Peter Moore
Creative Director, Nike and Adidas, the 1970s to the late 1990s

When Nike became a design client of Moore’s in 1977, he officially joined the company as its first brand creative director in 1983. In addition to designing shoes, Moore created ad campaigns and logos, including co-designing the company’s Wings and Jumpman logos with Bruce Kilgore. He also designed the Nike Dunk in 1985.

Moore left Nike in 1987 and formed the brand-building consulting agency Sports, Inc. with fellow Nike veteran Rob Strasser. Adidas AG acquired the business in 1993, which led the groundwork for Adidas America.
Moore was widely known as the creative director at Adidas America and Strasser’s successor as head of Adidas America following Strasser’s death in 1993.

At Adidas, Moore received credit for launching the EQT brand campaign and designed the three-stripes “mountain” logo, the brand’s primary trademark. In 1998, Moore retired from Adidas but remained a consultant for several years following.

Howard White, Jordan Brand VP, said, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Peter Moore, an iconic designer, whose legacy will forever be connected to Jordan Brand and the sneaker culture he helped to create.”

Adidas said in a statement, “Peter was a true legend and icon in our industry, and it is impossible to overstate the impact he has had on Adidas.”

Thomas Posey
President and CEO, Lamiglas

Lamiglas wrote in a statement, “Lamiglas thrived by way of Tom’s father, Dick Posey when he acquired the company back in 1965. Dick was instrumental in the development of graphite and other innovative advancements in the industry today. In 2015, Tom stepped into the company after the passing of his father, and he worked tirelessly to keep the name and quality of Lamiglas alive for all of us to cherish.

“During his tenure, Tom grew sales to the largest in company history (since 1949) by issuing a new-school approach. Tom’s advancements to the supply chain allowed our American Made legacy to continue.

“He, like his father, was an active member and served on the board of the American Sportfishing Association along with countless sportfishing advocacy groups and organizations throughout the country. Tom cared for our fishing community and was always dedicated to its success.”

Ray Scott
“Father of Modern Bass Fishing” 

Ray Scott founded the first national professional bass fishing circuit, the Bassmaster Tournament Trail in 1967 and the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) in 1968. He also launched Bassmaster Magazine, partnered with then-Bassmaster Editor Bob Cobb to create The Bassmasters television show that continues to air on Fox Sports, and spearheaded the “Don’t Kill Your Catch” campaign in 1972 and the catch-and-release ethic used by bass anglers today.

Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO, said, “Ray’s contributions and impact on conservation and his advocacy and passion for anglers and our sport set the standard for tournament fishing and are something we will always strive to uphold.”

Moe Stein
Second-Generation Owner, Frank’s Sports Shop, Bronx, NY

In 1921 Moe Stein’s father, Frank, founded Frank’s Sports Shop in the Bronx, where Moe worked and built the business on East Tremont Avenue to become the leading sporting goods store and a New York City landmark.

In a statement, the retailer said: “Moe inherited the business from his father, Frank, and continued to work there with his children until he was 93 years old. He was the character and face of the business. If you know Frank’s, you know Moe. We will miss him greatly.”

Dan Wieden
Co-founder, Wieden + Kennedy

Wieden formed Wieden + Kennedy with David Kennedy in 1982 in Portland, OR. The business grew to become the largest independent ad agency in the world, best known for its work with Nike.

Nike’s “Just Do It” was famously coined by Wieden, first running in a Nike TV commercial in 1988.

Wieden + Kennedy collaborated on iconic Nike ad campaigns, including “Bo Knows” with Bo Jackson, the “I Am Not a Role Model” commercial with Charles Barkley and Colin Kaepernick’s “Dream Crazy.”

In a statement, Wieden+Kennedy said, “Thank you, Dan, for throwing the doors wide open for people to live up to their full potential. Thank you for your steadfastness, courage, faith and abiding love. Thank you for making this beautiful creative life possible. We will miss you so much.”