A new World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry Board was elected at the Extraordinary General Assembly in Las Vegas on June 9th.
The new elected president is John Larsen President Emeritus and Advisory Board member of Boston-based New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. Larsen is also Director of New Balance Ltd, and Gartner Sports, Srl. He is an Advisory Board member of Roadrunner Sports, Inc, a Director of YMCA of Greater Boston, a Director of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and a trade advisor to the US Government for footwear and textiles.

“We welcome this new team and are looking forward to their leadership and expertise to promote the sporting goods industry and help it facing the global challenges for sports,” says Andre Gorgemans, Secretary General. The WFSGI board elected for a new 3 year term (2007-Jan. 2011) is the following:

President: Mr. John Larsen (President Emeritus New Balance & Director, New Balance (UK), ltd.)
Vice-Presidents:
• Representing Europe: Mr. Horst Widmann (Vice President Puma, President FESI)
• Representing Americas: Mr. Tom Cove (President, SGMA International)
• Representing Asia: Mr. Masato Mizuno (Chairman, Mizuno Corp.)
Board Members representing Europe:
• Mr. Alberto Bichi (Secretary General, FESI)
• Mr. Frank Dassler (General Counsel, adidas-Group)
• Mr. Jean-Claude Fauvet (Senior Executive Vice President, Lacoste S.A.)
• Mr. Giancarlo Zanatta (Chairman, The Tecnica Group)
Board Members representing Americas:
• Mr. Bob Corliss (Vice Chairman, Velocity Sport)
• Mr. Killick Datta (Chairman and CEO, GBMI)
• Mr. Raul Hacker (President, Speedo Brazil-representing ABIAE)
• Mr. Gumercindo Moraes Neto (Sporting Goods Director, Alpargatas Brazil)
• Mr. Lindsay Stewart (Vice President and Chief of Staff, Nike Inc)
Board Members representing Asia:
• Dr. Nouman Butt (CEO, Capital Sports)
• Mr. Benjamin Liu (President, Poyang International Co. Ltd.)
• Mr. Liu Jun (Marketing Director, Chinese Olympic Committee)
• Mr. Hirotaka Miyaji (Executive Director, JASPO)
• Mr. O-Sung Kwon (CEO & Founder Vivasport, Chairman KOSPA)
• Mr. Anil Sharma (President, AKAY International)
Board members elected by the Executive Committee:
• Mr. Stephen Rubin (Chairman, The Pentland Group)
• Mr. Klaus Uhl (Chairman of the Administration Board, uhlsports Gmbh)
• Mr. Manfred Wuztlhofer (Chairman & CEO, Messe München GmbH)
• Mr. Frank Zhang (Corporate Vice- President Governmental and Public Affairs, Li-Ning)
• Mr. Michel Perraudin (Owner & Founder MP Consult) – Past President WFSGI 2004-2007