By Thomas J. Ryan

Phil Knight and Herbert Hainer led SGB’s movers & shakers list for 2016.

In June, Knight, Nike’s co-founder, officially stepped down from his role as chairman of Nike’s board, completing the transition first announced a year before.

52 years ago, Knight founded Nike’s predecessor, Blue Ribbon Sport, with his former track coach Bill Bowerman. Knight had the idea for the company while he was getting his MBA at Stanford. After graduating in 1962, the former track star met with Japanese shoe suppliers while traveling the world. When he returned home, he and Bowerman each put up $500 to start the shoe company. Two years before the company went public in 1980, Knight changed the company’s name to Nike after the Greek goddess of victory.

As expected, Nike President and CEO Mark Parker took on the role of chairman, while Knight will serve as chairman emeritus. Parker joined the company in 1979 as a shoe designer.

“Phil’s impact on Nike is immeasurable,” Parker said at the time. “His entrepreneurial drive is and always will be part of our DNA. Along with Nike’s exceptional management team, I am committed to leading our next era of innovation and growth as we serve and inspire athletes throughout the world.”

In October, Kasper Rorsted, formerly chief executive at Henkel AG, a German maker of cleaning products, adhesives and beauty-care items, replaced Herbert Hainer as Adidas AG’s CEO.

Hainer was the longest-serving CEO of a German blue-chip company. In the course of his 14-year tenure, he went from being a lauded executive, posting new profit records annually until 2012, to being pilloried by investors. In 2014 he scrapped Adidas’ financial targets as the company was particularly hurt by the shrinking golf market and the ruble’s slump.

Rorsted is tasked with continuing to build on the Adidas brand’s revived momentum seen in recent quarters in North America, and he has also committed to turning around Reebok. A particular focus is expected to be on improving profitability. Adidas’ operating margin, a measure of what a company keeps of sales after production and labor costs, has run at about 7 percent the past year, compared with 14 percent for Nike.

Other key executive moves in the active-lifestyle industry over the last year included:

2XU, the compression apparel specialist, appointed Brian Anderson as president of its North America subsidiary.

Backcountry.com appointed Jonathan Nielsen, formerly the outdoor’s site’s EVP of product management and design, as its CEO. Nielsen replaced Jill Layfield, who left the e-retailer in December, about five months after Backcountry’s parent company, Liberty Ventures Group, sold Backcountry to TSG Consumer Partners.

Black Diamond Equipment named John Walbrecht as its new president in late September, replacing Mark Ritchie. Walbrecht joined the outdoor brand just seven months after taking the same position at Mountain Hardwear. He previously led Fjällräven parent Fenix Outdoor’s N.A. office, which is now is being led by Nathan Dopp.

BRG Sports Inc., the parent of Riddell, appointed Dan Arment as president and CEO, replacing Terry Lee, who became a strategic advisor to the company.

Cabela’s Inc. appointed Scott K. Williams president. He was previously the company’s EVP and chief commercial officer.

Cascade Designs, parent to Therm-a-rest, MSR, Platypus and other outdoor brands, promoted David Burroughs, son of company founder John Burroughs, as president, replacing Joe Mc Swiney, who served in the role for a decade.

Christy Sports appointed Matt Gold as its new CEO, effective February 2017. Gold will succeed Patrick O’Winter, a Christy Sports shareholder since 1995 and CEO since 2002 when he bought control of the company. Gold had more than 20 years of experience at Amer Sports Corp., most recently general manager, Asia Pacific.

Davide Grasso, chief marketing officer, Nike, replaced Jim Calhoun as president and CEO of Converse.

Altamont Capital named former Outdoor Research President and CEO Ken Meidell as CEO of Dakine, which the San Francisco investment firm acquired from Billabong in July 2013.

Deckers Brands’ Dave Powers succeeded Angel Martinez as CEO of Deckers Brands. Martinez continues to serve as chairman.

Finish Line named Sam Sato, formerly its president, to succeed Glenn Lyon as CEO.

Giant Manufacturing Co., parent to Giant Bicycles, announced the retirement of its longtime Chairman King Liu and CEO Tony Lo. Effective January 1, 2017, Liu will be succeeded by Giant Executive Vice President Bonnie Tu as the company’s new chairperson, while Lo will be succeeded as CEO by Giant COO Young Liu, the son of the soon-to-be-former chairman.

HanesBrands’ COO Gerald W. Evans Jr. replaced Richard A. Noll as CEO. Noll continues as chairman. The duo has guided the company, which owns Hanes, Champion, Gear for Sport and a number of intimate apparel brands, to become one the world’s largest basic apparel companies since its 2006 spinoff into an independent publicly traded company.

Keen hired Casey Sheahan, former CEO of Patagonia, as CEO, succeeding Steve Meineke.

Leatherman Tool Group, parent to Leatherman multi-tools and LED light brand Ledlenser, promoted Ben Rivera to CEO.

L.L. Bean hired Stephen Smith as its president and CEO, replacing Chris McCormick, who served in that role since 2001 and will retire early next year. Most recently Walmart’s chief marketing and merchandising officer in China, Smith is the first outsider to lead the 103-year-old brand.

Kit and Ace, founded by the wife and son of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, appointed Wendy Bennison as its president. She had been president and COO of Roots.

Osprey Packs named former CamelBak President Layne Rigney as its new president, replacing Tom Barney.

Rocky Brands in December brought back Mike Brooks, who was CEO from 1991 to 2011, to the role of CEO. He had been serving as interim CEO since September following the resignation of David Sharp.

Snowsports Industries America welcomed former Burton executive Nick Sargent as its new president in January, replacing longtime president David Ingemie.

Surftech appointed John Vance as CEO. Vance had held executive positions with Quiksilver, Sanuk and most recently Freewaters.

Jim Pisani assumed the position of global brand president at Timberland. He most recently served as president of VF’s Licensed Sports Group, which includes the Majestic brand.

Vans appointed Doug Palladini, who has been with Vans since 2004, as its global band president. Previously, Palladini served as the label’s VP and GM for its North American region.

Varsity Brands appointed Matthew E. Rubel, formerly chairman/CEO of Collective Brands, as its CEO.

VF Corp. appointed Scott Baxter as group president of outdoor and action sports Americas. Baxter previously served as VF’s group president, Jeanswear Americas, Imagewear & South America. Steve Rendle will replace Eric C. Wiseman as VF Corp.’s chief executive officer at the close of the year.

Wigwam Mills named apparel and consumer goods veteran Thomas M. Wheeler as president and CEO.

Lead photo courtesy Adidas; Kasper Rorsted