The first quarter of 2025 saw a strong surge in appointments, hirings and promotions at the executive levels in the active outdoor industry. A wide range of companies filled their ranks with veteran players to move organizations forward in the new economy. This period promised unique challenges for anyone navigating the tariff landscape under the new Trump Administration. Companies also faced immigration issues, DEI challenges, and the need to innovate in an active-lifestyle marketplace that many argued had grown stale.
With Nike, Inc. installing a new president and CEO in October 2024 and REI naming a new president and CEO in the first quarter, big changes were already brewing as new leadership sought to fill their senior leadership teams with talent aligned with new goals and strategic direction to re-energize fading businesses.
Other moves at Hoka’s parent, Deckers Brands, and at VF’s Vans unit in 2024 also created a path for new hires to fill spots aligned with new visions.
The prior year also included shuffling of key positions at Adidas, Amer Group, and its owned brands, Boot Barn, Peloton, and others, which created movement across the apparel, footwear, sports & fitness, outdoor, and sportsman’s businesses and their related retail partners.
Below are notable executive leadership changes that SGB Media reported for First Quarter 2025. See bottom for recaps of all 2025 quarters.
January 2025
- Authentic Brands Group Appoints New Company President
Over his two-decade career at Wynn Resorts, Matt Maddox reportedly played a pivotal role in the company’s global expansion. Nick Woodhouse will become executive vice chairman of Authentic. - Birdwell Names Surf Industry Veteran Lance Eddy as EVP of Sales
Lance Eddy has over 20 years of experience working with multichannel heritage lifestyle brands. Most recently, he served as sales director at RVCA. - Brixton Appoints Product and Merchandising Chief and Specialty Sales Director
The company has appointed Nadene Wisely as SVP of merchandising, design and development, and Sean Fleuriau as senior director of specialty sales for North America. - Burton Adds Executive Hires to Drive Brand and Product Categories
The privately-owned snowboard manufacturing company, hired Jennifer Valentine as chief merchandising officer and Debbie Lee as chief marketing officer based in the company’s global headquarters in Burlington, Vermont. - Canada Goose Appoints Luxury Fashion Vet as SVP Merchandising
Judit Bankus, most recently chief merchandising officer at Stella McCartney, is expected to play a key role in shaping Canada Goose’s product roadmap through a lens of sustainability and innovation. - Columbia’s Chief Digital Information Officer Exits
Columbia said it would launch a search for Skip Potter’s replacement. In the interim, EVP and CFO Jim Swanson will oversee the company’s digital technology department. - Cotton Inc. Promotes William Kimbrell to President and CEO
The 22-year veteran of Cotton Inc. was executive vice president and chief operating officer before his promotion to CEO and president in November. - Crunch Fitness Promotes D’Anna to Chief Development Officer
John A. D’Anna, the company’s SVP of real estate, has been appointed as the company’s new chief development officer, effective immediately. - Dr Martens Creative Director Darren Mckoy Exits Company
The designer’s announcement comes as company sales have declined and it prepares for new leadership. Ije Nwokorie is set to take the CEO role following the exit of former CEO Kenny Wilson, who said he would step down at the end of 2024. Nwokorie was, most recently, Dr. Martens’ chief brand officer. - Far Bank Promotes Hamilton to CEO; Klein Remains on Board
The manufacturer and distributor of fly fishing products and services based in Bainbridge Island, WA has promoted Ryan Hamilton to CEO as it continues to strength its senior leadership team. - Filson Parent Appoints Tim Bantle as Brand President
The VF, Eddie Bauer, Black Diamond, TNF and Patagonia veteran will lead the next phase of growth and global expansion for the 128-year-old heritage brand. - G/Fore Appoints Suzy Biszantz as CEO
With over twenty-five years of brand leadership experience, Suzy Biszantz has worked in luxury, athletic, contemporary, and menswear apparel. Most recently, she was the group president at Centric Brands for its men’s and women’s platforms. - Genesco Inc. Names First Chief Human Resources Officer
The parent of Journeys, Schuh, Johnston & Murphy said Kyle Polischuk will report to Mimi Vaughn, Genesco’s board chair, president and CEO and serve on Genesco’s executive management committee. Her appointment was effective January 6. - Golftec Promotes Chris Koske to Chief Marketing Officer
Chris Koske is a 20-year veteran of the golf and sports industries. As CMO (CMO), Koske will oversee brand strategy and marketing for Golftec enterprises, including its flagship Golftec brand and the Skytrak brand. - Hornady Names General Manager of Tools Division
Jason Slinkard joins the company with over 20 years of industry experience, having worked for CCI, Hoppe’s, RCBS, Champion - Johnson Health Tech Names President of JHT Canada
Greg Lawlor, who has been with the organization since its founding in 2015, was previously the vice president of Business Development at JHT, overseeing revenue growth in the company’s commercial and retail segments. - Kent Outdoors Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Nate Romney is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience leading finance, accounting and operations departments and has a history of creating high valuation and building scalable processes and corporate structure. - Leki USA Appoints National Sales Manager
Scott Park will oversee all sales operations for the brand’s summer and winter collections in the U.S., working closely with General Manager Chris O’Donoghue and Marketing Director Sven Brunso. He brings over 20 years of sales experience to the role. - MeatEater, Inc. Appoints Kevin Eskridge as Chief Commercial Officer
Kevin Eskridge joins MeatEater from Brunt workwear and after an 11-year tenure at Under Armour. Scott Trepanier, who reports to Eskridge, also joined MeatEater after a 14-year career at Columbia Sportswear, most recently as VP marketing. - Moncler Appoints International Chief Brand Officer
In this newly created role, Rob Manley joins the company from Burberry, where he was the chief marketing officer until Fall 2024. - Nanuk Gear Protection Appoints VP of Global Sales for Consumer Division
Terri Schiek has over 30 years of experience working in executive roles with companies such as SA Consumer Products, Igloo, and Pelican Products. - NMMA Names New CFO as Craig Boskey Eyes February Retirement
Chase Warden assumes the role on February 10 as longtime NMMA CFO Craig Boskey retires at the end of the month following 20 years with the Association. - Newton Golf Company Appoints CFO
Ryan Stearns brings over two decades of financial expertise working in public and private sectors. His extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital funding and financial process optimization will “position him to make an immediate impact.” - Norco Bicycles Appoints Alan Lewis as General Manager; CEO Sean Sullivan Exits
Live to Play Sports Group (LTP) and Norco Bicycles have appointed Alan Lewis, son of Founder Bert Lewis, as general manager. Company CEO Sean Sullivan is leaving after two years of leadership at LTP/Norco. - Oboz Names Lauren Colalillo VP of Sales
Colalillo joins the company with over 15 years of sales leadership experience in the outdoor and sporting goods industries. Most recently, she was a senior sales director at Revelyst. - Oofos Appoints Liz White Chief Marketing Officer
Liz White brings over 20 years of marketing experience to the newly created role overseeing global marketing efforts and direct-to-consumer business. - Orangetheory Fitness Appoints Lauren Cody Brand President
Lauren Cody assumes the role on January 27, with Orangetheory Co-founder and CEO Dave Long fully transitioning to co-chair of the Purpose Brands board, where he will serve as a strategic advisor to the Orangetheory brand leadership team. - OrthoLite Appoints Country Manager for OrthoLite Indonesia
Bo Grabowski will manage overall operations at OID, which will include leading manufacturing and business development, as well as establishing and managing relationships with brands and Tier 1 factory partners. - PEX Fitness Names Industry Vet as Managing Partner
As the buildout for the facility began, effective January 1, 2025. Badlissi is an industry veteran in the boxing and general fitness categories who brings industry experience and an entrepreneurial mindset. - Pickleball Kingdom Appoints President and Chief Global Officer
Rob Streett was promoted from chief operating officer to president and chief global officer. He will focus on scaling the brand across multiple regions and creating a global network of pickleball centers. - POC Adds Strategic Hires; Creates New Territories in APAC Region
The updates and investments in the company’s regional and central teams will support continued brand growth and be closer and more responsive to its customers. - Pret Helmets Names Mark Cavanaugh as Company CEO
Most recently, Cavanaugh was the CEO of Valor Hockey and served at other active lifestyle brands, including Under Armour, New Balance and Nike. - REI Names Mary Beth Laughton as Next CEO as Eric Artz Plans Exit
Laughton, a former REI Board Director and seasoned retail leader, will join REI as president on February 3, 2025, before assuming full CEO responsibilities on March 31. - Retay USA Parent Hires Michael Narus as VP Marketing, Expands Sales Force
Michael Narus will oversee all U.S. marketing operations, focusing on engaging consumers with the performance and benefits of Retay USA and Breda AG products. The company also appointed independent sales agencies across four major territories. - Revelyst Names President, Licensing and Entertainment
Simon Waters assumes the newly-created role for the company’s expansive outdoor portfolio, which includes Foresight Sports, Bushnell Golf, Fox, Bell, Giro, CamelBak, Bushnell, and Simms Fishing. - Revo Moves to Direct Distribution in Key EU Markets; Adds New Region Leadership
Revo has made a strategic shift in its global distribution model, transitioning to direct distribution in several key markets, supported by a new leadership team. - RG Barry Brands Names Justine Suh President of Dearfoams
Most recently, Suh served as general manager at Carter’s North America Retail. Before that, she was chief merchandising officer at Cole Haan and VP, global general merchandise manager of Omni Channel at Deckers Brands. - Rossmönster Hires New Chief Revenue Officer
Timothy Morgan brings over two decades of experience in the RV industry in sales, business development and strategic leadership. Morgan was honored as one of RV Associates’ “40 Under 40,” a testament to his leadership and vision. - Sightron Appoints Director of Sales
Long has spent over 27 years in the shooting sports industry. Before joining the company, Long was the national account manager with a Top 5 U.S. optics company for over 22 years. - Sports Impact Appoints Industry Vet as Chief Marketing Officer
Nick Addecott, who is based in London and has previous golf industry expertise with the agency’s longest-serving client, Wilson Golf. He has over 20 years of senior management and board-level experience. - Turtleson Names VP of Licensed Product Sales
Jim Call, VP of Licensed Product Sales, will lead the growth of the brand’s wholesale partnerships and its collegiate-licensed apparel line. He brings 25 years of experience in collegiate and pro sports licensed products. - Sturm Ruger Appoints Todd Seyfert as President and CEO
The leading U.S. manufacturer of firearms announced that Todd W. Seyfert will become the company’s next president and chief executive officer, effective March 1, 2025. He replaces Chris Killoy, who will retire from the company after 20 years of service. - United Sports Brands Appoints SVP of Marketing
Kyle Schlegel has over 25 years of executive and management experience. Most recently, he served as the VP of Marketing and DTC at Weber, LLC. He has also held senior marketing positions at Wilson Sporting Goods, Hillerich & Bradsby (Louisville Slugger) and Procter & Gamble. - United Wheels Appoints New VP Operations and Supply Chain Management
The parent company of Huffy, Niner, Batch, and Buzz Bicycles, has appointed Ryan Karp as its new VP of Operations and Supply Chain Management. With over 20 years of experience, Karp will oversee the operations teams, rider services teams and supply chain management across multiple regions. - Veo Strip Appoints Nike Veteran as Company’s First CEO
The company that created a product to prevent sweat from affecting an athlete’s vision during physical activity has tapped former Nike executive Tom Kelley as its first CEO. - Xponential Fitness Promotes Kawaja, Adds Franchising Vets to Leadership Team
John Kawaja has been promoted to president of North America, Tim Weiderhoft was hired as COO of North America, and Kevin Beygi was hired as chief technology officer. Eric Simon is also slated to join as chief development officer on January 20, 2025.
February 2025
- Alterra Mountain Co. Names People Chief, President/COO for Experiences Unit
Headquartered in Denver, CO, the conglomerate of ski resorts, has hired Diane Neville as chief people officer (CPO) and Will Forbes as president and chief operating officer, Experiences Division. - Arcus Hunting Names New National Sales Manager
Jim Heeren has been hired as national sales manager for the Midwest and Western U.S. regions, played a key role in launching a gun safe division for Dansons and spent 21 years at Cabela’s. - Authentic Appoints New Reebok Licensing Partners for U.S., UK and Europe
In the U.S., Galaxy Universal takes over Reebok’s footwear operation, retail stores and e-commerce, and will lead the brand’s global product creation, design and sourcing. A new JV, GB Brands Europe Ltd., will oversee the brand’s operations across Europe and the UK. - BSN Sports Parent Appoints Two C-Suite Leaders to Executive Team
Javier Idrovo was named chief financial officer and Jim Baldwin as chief legal and compliance officer. They succeed John Hutchison and Burton Brillhart, who recently announced their retirement from the company. - Cotopaxi Makes Key Leadership Changes with New Hires and Stephan Jacob Move
Craig Rowley has been named chief marketing officer. Sara Westbrook has been named as the company’s new SVP of Product and Merchandising. Company Founder Stephan Jacob is transitioning into a new chief global/business development officer role. - Caleres Appoints Brian Costello as Chief Merchant at Famous Footwear
Costello was, most recently, the footwear DMM at Nordstrom. He will oversee all buying and merchandising, including women’s, men’s and kids’ athletic and fashion footwear and accessories, for the brand’s U.S. and Canada stores and e-commerce sites. - Costa Sunglasses Names Global VP of Marketing
Robbie LaBelle joins the company from Sports Research, where he was vice president of Marketing. Before that, he worked for over a decade at Nike in various brand marketing leadership roles and for nearly eight years at Apple/Beats by Dre, creating campaigns and brand marketing strategies. - Elan Appoints Central Europe Manager
Elan said Bernhard Leichtfried was promoted to general manager of Elan Central Europe, responsible for business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He jointed the company in September 2024 as sales and marketing director. - Elan Sports Parent Appoints Korošec as SVP of the Company
KJK Sports, the Luxembourg-based parent of the Elan, Zegul, Tahe Outdoors, Core Kiteboarding, Baltik Vairas, and SIC brands, has appointed Melanja Korošec, a former Elan Group executive, as SVP of the company. - Escalade, Inc. Appoints Armin Boehm as CEO and President
Boehm will succeed Walter P. Glazer, Jr., who, in August 2024, announced his plans to retire as CEO and president. The transition takes effect April 1, 2025. - Fossil Group Adds Former Adidas and Salomon Execs to Leadership Team
Fossil Group, Inc. appointed Joe Martin, formerly SVP of Wholesale, Team Services and Omni Operations and Marketplace, North America, at Adidas, and Antonio Carriero, previously chief digital and information officer at Salomon, to its executive team. - Gymshark Appoints First U.S. Chief Commercial Officer
Kim Dolder, general manager of North America, has been promoted to the company’s chief commercial officer working from Gymshark’s New York office. Dolger also becomes Gymshark’s first U.S. Board member. - Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Names New CEO
JHMR has appointed Doug Pierini as CEO, effective June 1. He replaces Mary Kate Buckley who will retire as CEO on May 31, concluding a seven-year tenure leading the resort property. - JD Group Appoints Jared Briskin as CEO of Hibbett
Hibbett was acquired by global active lifestyle retail behemoth JD Group in July 2024. Briskin, who had been serving as EVP of Merchandising at the time of the sale, was promoted to COO after the sale closed and added the President title shortly thereafter. - Katadyn Group Names Two Outdoor Vets to North American Leadership Team
Katadyn Group expanded its North American leadership team with the addition of Brook Hopper as director of marketing for North America and Jeff Pratt as director of sales for North America. - Liberty Safe Hires Chief Revenue Officer
McKay brings extensive experience in sales, marketing, and product development, having recently served as senior vice president of sales and marketing at American Security Products. - Lids Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Greg Cox was promoted to CFO effective immediately. He has worked for the company for eight years. In his new role, he will lead strategic growth initiatives and operational simplification across the global retailer’s business functions. - Macy’s, Inc. Names Chief Stores Officer of Macy’s
Currently, Barbie Cameron is the senior vice president and regional director of stores for the East Region. Before that, she was the interim chief stores officer at Macy’s since August 2024. - Merrell Names Richard McLeod as Chief Marketing Officer
McLeod was, most recently VP and CMO at Champion. Prior to Champion, McLeod was SVP of Brand at Canada Goose. - MidwayUSA Foundation Names New Board President
Jon Zinnel will serve as president and replace longstanding president and former Executive Director Dick Leeper. Nancy Bacon will serve as Vice President. Zinnel has served on the Foundation’s Board since 2021, Bacon since 2022. - Momentec Brands Names Chief Technology Officer
Christine Rose will oversee Momentec Brands’ technology initiatives, including digital customer-facing platforms, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain systems, and information security. - Mondraker USA Appoints U.S. Sales Director
Mariano Gon was appointed U.S. sales director effective February 3, 2025. He has spent 25 years honing his sales and cycling industry expertise, strategic vision and passion to Mondraker’s growing U.S. presence. - MyFitnessPal Appoints Chief Marketing Officer
Marnie Boyer joins the company from Grubhub, where she served as VP of Growth Marketing. Since 2022, she has led initiatives that boosted customer acquisition, including a partnership with Amazon. - Oberalp Group Names New Brand Director for Salewa
Nol Gerritse, a Dutch native and U.S. citizen, has held senior positions at Havaianas, Lululemon, Keen, Colgate, and Nike. - Oofos Hires Director of Specialty Sales
The company said Matt Withrow will create, plan and execute sales strategies for the specialty distribution channel including Run, Outdoor, and Other sport-specific specialty distribution. - Perfect Moment Shifts Senior Leadership; Adds Two Canada Goose Execs
New CFO and COO Chath Weerasinghe brings more than 20 years of experience in finance, operations, and leadership within the luxury, retail and consumer goods sectors. Vittorio Giacomelli will be responsible for overseeing product strategy, product development, and innovation. - Pvolve Appoints Head of Medical Affairs
OB/GYN and Longevity Expert, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, joins Pvolve to E\enhance its results-driven method and bridge the gender research gap in women’s health. - REI Co-op Names VP of Enterprise Systems
Vignesh Pratap was, most recently, at Nike, Inc., where he worked over three years as senior director of Engineering, Global Technology. - Richardson Hires Industry Vet as SVP Sales
Jason Krakow brings over 30 years of sales leadership experience in the headwear and sports apparel industries, most recently serving as president of the Caps Direct and Dri-Duck businesses. - Solo Brands Appoints Interim CEO as Chris Metz Departs
John Larson, a member of the company’s Board of Directors, has been appointed interim president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Larson succeeds Chris Metz who is stepping down. - Sportsman’s Warehouse Taps Walmart Vet Jeff Dunn as Chief Merchant
Dunn was most recently chief merchandising officer at Galaxy Universal. Prior, he served in a variety of merchandising roles at Walmart over a 12-year period, including VP/DMM for Sporting Goods and VP/DMM for Footwear. - Summit Golf Brands Appoints Chief Financial Officer
Summit Golf Brands has hired Timothy Moore as chief financial officer, overseeing finances across each SGB’s apparel brands, including B. Draddy, Zero Restriction, Fairway & Greene, and EP New York. - Superfeet Makes Four Key Strategic Leadership Hires
The manufacturer of performance insoles has promoted Annie Quammen to chief people officer and hired Dan Bailey as chief growth officer, Mike Donnelly as VP of Marketing, Jiewei Fridgen as VP of Operations, and Heather Allerdice-Gerow as - TSG Consumer Partners Appoints New Head of London Office
TSG’s past and present investments in the active lifestyle space include Backcountry, Corepower Yoga, Nuun, Revolve, Canyon Bicycles, and Planet Fitness. TSG has investment offices in San Francisco, New York and London. - Timberland Appoints New Global Creative Director of Marketing
Drew Villani is responsible for bringing the company’s creative vision to life, including brand marketing, art direction, photography, store design, styling, and video production. Villani joined Timberland from Calvin Klein, where he was the senior director of global creative. - Wild Rye Adds to Management Team With Two New Hires
Megan Odom joins the company as national sales manager and Sara Gerritts as supply chain operations manager. The company reported that they “bring a wealth of experience and a passion for the outdoors that aligns perfectly with our brand’s values and mission.” - Wiley X Strengthens Sales Leadership with Key Hires
The new hires include Seth Quackenbush as director of sales for the Outdoor Division, Jack Schindler as national sales Manager for the Outdoor Division and Johnathan Weikum as director of sales for the Optical Division. - Wolverine Worldwide Shares Fall 17 Percent as 2025 Forecast Disappoints
Fourth quarter revenue fell 5.8 percent year-over-year but rose 3.3 percent to $494.7 million when tallying the company’s ongoing business. The company posted big improvements in gross margin and operating margins in Q4, leading to a positive earnings result. - #YES Snowboards Hires North American Sales Director
Ryan Bachman will oversee nationwide sales for the brand and manage retailers, key accounts and the #Yes sales teams. Bachman will also continue his role as ThrityTwo’s sales director.
March 2025
- Academy Appoints EVP & Chief Information Officer
Sumit Anand joined Academy this month and reports directly to CEO Steve Lawrence. Anand oversees enterprise technology operations, including cybersecurity, IT infrastructure and operations, and IT shared services, supporting the company’s corporate, distribution center and retail initiatives. - BaseMap Names Former HuntScore CEO as Company President and CEO
BaseMap, Inc. acquired HuntScore in a deal that closed in January 2024. Matt Habiger joined BaseCamp at the time as VP of Data Sciences. BaseCamp Founder Jeffrey Balch will remain actively involved in the company as a director and chief product officer. - Celsius Holdings Appoints President and COO; Fieldly Retains Chair and CEO Role
Eric Hanson reportedly brings to Celsius deep experience leading sales, commercial planning and partnership management, and he most recently served as SVP of strategic partnerships at PepsiCo. - Roger Cleveland Returns to Cleveland Golf as Founder and Brand Advisor
Since 1988, when Roger Cleveland first showcased the 588 Wedge, Cleveland Golf has been a game-changer in wedges, played with by 33 champions and responsible for over 400 PGA Tour victories. The company reports over 15 million wedges sold worldwide. - Daniel Defense Appoints New Chief Operating Officer
Daniel Baltzegar brings extensive experience in operations leadership and business transformation, having held executive roles at Aramark, WestRock, and other industry-leading companies. - Delta Waterfowl Names New CEO
Jason Tharpe has been named CEO. Tharpe has been with Delta Waterfowl for 22 years, most recently serving as chief development officer. - Fiocchi of America Names Todd Ruff as Director of Sales
Huff worked for Remington Arms for over 17 years in various sales roles with increasing levels of responsibility over that period, culminating in VP of Sales. - Head NA Names Bardsley as Next CEO; Kempin Sets July Retirement
The company has named Jeff Bardsley as the next president and CEO of Head North America. The current VP of Racquet Sports marketing for North America, will replace longtime CEO Kevin Kempin, who will retire July 1 after 32 years with the company. - Imperial Headwear Appoints Ryan Garrett as President of Pukka
Before his two-plus year stint in the Nike Headwear business, Garrett was with gearUp Sports for over a year and spent nine months at 3N2. He served for over seven years in various positions with BSN Sports, culminating in his role as a regional sales manager in 2014. - Rip Curl and Oboz Parent KMD Names Former Nike Europe CEO as New Group CEO
Brent Scrimshaw transitioned from a non-executive role on the company’s Board to assume the role of Group CEO and managing director on March 24. Outgoing Group CEO Michael Daly stepped down as director of KMD Brands on March 25 and completed a transition period with Scrimshaw until April 4. - KMD Brands Appoints Nike Vet Ashley Reade as Rip Curl CEO
Ashley Reade will join the Australian surf brand in the coming months from Nike, where he is currently the vice president and general manager of Nike Pacific, responsible for growing the region to an AU$1 billion business. - Macy’s Names Senior VP & General Merchandising Manager, Men’s and Kids’
Daniel Leppo most recently served as Bloomingdale’s senior vice president and general merchandising manager, overseeing Cosmetics, Menswear, Children’s, and Home. Leppo started his career at Bloomingdale’s as an intern and was part of the executive training program. - Monumental Appoints EVP, Chief Strategic and Corporate Comms Officer
AJ Jones, II joins MSE’s senior leadership team overseeing corporate, investor, and ownership communications with its external, internal, and partner stakeholders. - MyFitnessPal Appoints Chief Revenue Officer, Advertising
Industry veteran Amit Patel brings over 25 years of experience in business strategy, digital media and advertising to the global nutrition and tracking app - QTI Fibers Appoints New CEO
QTI Fibers is a vertically integrated manufacturer of advanced technical fibers, fabrics, coated yarns, and textiles. Its portfolio of companies includes Quantum Materials, Twitchell Technical Products, and Infinity Woven Products. - Rad Power Bikes Appoints New CEO after Phil Molyneux’s Departure
The company has appointed former Bartell Drugs CEO Kathi Lentzsch as its new chief executive officer, closing the loop after the surprising departure of former CEO Phil Molyneux. - REI Co-op Names New Chief Merchant with Diverse Big Box Background
REI said Kristin Shane brings extensive experience across diverse consumer product and retail businesses, including The Guitar Center, PetSmart and Target. - S&S Activewear Taps Industry Vet Kendall Whitley as VP of Team Sales
Whitley brings nearly four decades of sporting goods experience, including executive roles at Converse, Adidas, and, most recently, as VP of Athletics for NBS, where he oversaw all business for 125 dealers in the NBS Athletic Division. - Salomon Appoints Nike Vet as Global Brand Creative Director
As Global Creative Director at Salomon, At the core of all Align product is its insole technologyacross all consumer touchpoints, platforms, channels, and regions. - Snipes Names Under Armour Vet as New Chief Marketing Officer, U.S.
The global street culture brand reported that Kelley Walton will lead the marketing organization in the U.S. to include all budget and marketing functions aligned with the company’s long-term vision. - Sport Alliance Names New CEO
Alexandar Vassilev succeeds Gregor Bieler, who is stepping down for personal reasons. Headquartered in Hamburg, Sport Alliance is a global software company for the fitness industry, specializing in software solutions for studio management, financial services and mobile applications. - Surftech Taps Industry Veteran Andy Barnett for General Manager Role
Barnett brings over 10 years of experience from his previous roles at Lost Surfboards, where he initially served as CFO before transitioning to general manager. - Trijicon Appoints Gary Sweet as VP of Sales and Marketing
Sweet will have oversight responsibilities for the commercial sales, marketing and customer experience organizations, the product management team, and the business development team, which serves domestic military branches, government agencies, international military/LE agencies, and international commercial sales. - United Legwear & Apparel Taps Tony Lucia as President of ULAC Europe BV
ULAC is the licensee and core operating partner for all men’s Hurley apparel categories. The company is also a Puma NA joint venture partner, has distribution partnerships with Scotch & Soda and Ted Baker and maintains licensed brands including Skechers, Van Heusen, DKNY, Champion, Arrow, and Weatherproof. - USGA Names President-Elect and Two Executive Committee Members
The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced the appointment of Kevin Hammer as president-elect. Hammer replaces Fred Perpall, who is serving the last year of his three-year term. - Yeti Appoints J. Magnus Welander and Arne Arens to Board
The appointments of Welander and Arens will increase the size of Yeti’s Board to 10 members, nine of whom are independent, and are said to “reflect to represent the company’s ongoing Board refreshment efforts, focused on further aligning director experience and skillsets with Yeti’s strategy and future opportunities.”
Image courtesy Marriott
