David McCreight, most recently president of Lands End, was named president of Under Armour Inc. He is expected to join Under Armour in September and will be responsible for developing and executing long-term growth strategy, implementing new practices to achieve efficiency, and managing the companys core businesses. He will also oversee the companys wholesale and direct-to-consumer distribution channels and marketing. Kevin Plank, Under Armours chairman, president and CEO, will continue to direct global brand strategy.
As president of Lands End, which is owned by Sears Holding Corp., McCreight, 45, strategically shifted the companys focus from a domestic catalog business into a multi-national, multi-channel lifestyle brand. Under his leadership, Lands End achieved record-breaking earnings, and developed and expanded more than 200 specialty stores within Sears. Previously, McCreight served as SVP of Disney Stores Worldwide, and also served as president of Smith and Hawken.
“Welcoming David McCreight as president is a milestone chapter in the Under Armour story,” says Plank. “Working alongside of COO Wayne Marino, Davids experience and insight will create an immediate impact on our business. The addition of David allows me to focus on driving growth and steering the UA Brand both in the United States and around the globe.”
Under Armour has added more than 50 years of industry experience to its executive team within the past 12 months through the appointments of McCreight; Peter Mahrer, president and managing director of Under Armour Europe; and Suzanne Karkus, SVP of apparel.
“David will be leading our strong and experienced front-end management team overseeing Under Armours core business units, and will give all of our teams a new perspective on adding value and building internal efficiencies,” says Plank. “We are fortunate to now have two strong leaders in Wayne Marino and David McCreight to manage our back- and front-end initiatives, respectively.”
“It is a tremendous opportunity to join the Under Armour team at such an important period of growth for the company,” states McCreight. “Upon meeting with the management team, it was clear to me why the brand has been so successful and why so many people want to be a part of what is happening here.”