Mission, the manufacturer of year-round wearable cooling and heat-relief products, hired Jocelyn Thornton, who formerly led Dearfoams, as its new CEO and Deborah Klemm as its new chief financial officer.
As the former president of Dearfoams, the largest brand within the private equity-backed RG Barry footwear platform, Thornton oversaw sales, merchandising, marketing, and product development, reportedly leading the company to “unprecedented growth, leveraging her deep understanding of consumer needs and market dynamics.” Before Dearfoams, Thornton spent over 15 years in leadership positions with Earth Shoes, The Doneger Group, Clarks, and Wolverine Worldwide, “helping to spearhead the Sperry brand.”
“Jocelyn is a proven strategic leader with an impressive background in cultivating premier consumer brands, developing and executing go-to-market strategies and steering high-performing teams towards achieving outsized growth,” said Leigh Randall, managing partner at Topspin Consumer Partners, the owner of Mission. “Jocelyn’s deep expertise in consumer goods and omnichannel commerce, coupled with her passion for the active consumer segment, make her ideally suited to guide Mission through its next phase of growth.”
Klemm, most recently, was the chief financial officer of Morilee by Madeline Gardner, a private equity-backed designer of bridal and specialty occasion dresses. Before that, she worked nine years as chief financial officer at F. Schumacher & Co., the family-owned manufacturer of branded luxury home furnishings. Her earlier roles included senior finance positions at David Yurman, Escada,and Giorgio Armani. Her extensive experience in financial strategy and management will reportedly be “instrumental in optimizing Mission’s performance and positioning the company for further expansion.”
“Deborah’s financial acumen and insights will be a tremendous asset for Mission,” said Josh Shaw, executive chairman at Mission and operating partner at Topspin. “She is a growth-oriented finance leader with a demonstrated track record of operational excellence.”
Mission, based in Purchase, NY, was co-founded by Dwayne Wade, Serena Williams and Drew Brees.
Image courtesy Mission
