New Era Cap Company announced today that it has made several appointments at the company’s executive level. Christopher H. Koch, who held the title of President, has been named CEO while CFO/COO Pete Augustine was promoted to President.

Other management changes include: former Director of Sales Jim Grundtisch to the position of Vice President-Global Sales; former Director of Marketing John DeWaal to the position of Vice President-Global Marketing; and former Eastern Regional Sales Manager Bill Adams to the position of National Sales Manager.

Koch said the adjustments reflect the changing nature of the company, which is serving a more diverse range of customers than ever before.

“We are excited by the new opportunities for growth that lie ahead,” said Koch. “It is our responsibility to successfully manage the challenges that come with such opportunity. These changes will help us do just that.”

Koch is the fourth generation of his family to run New Era. He has worked in the business for 25 years, having been promoted to President in 1993. Over the past decade, Koch has led the company’s transition from a traditional manufacturing driven company to the sales and marketing driven company it is today.

Pete Augustine has been with New Era for 12 years. He recently spearheaded an expansion process that took New Era to Alabama, where the company now employs more than 800 people in two manufacturing facilities and a distribution center. As CFO/COO, Augustine has been instrumental in developing a corporate structure that has helped position New Era for its recent growth as well as the anticipated growth in the coming years.

Over the last 10 years, Jim Grundtisch has worked his way up through every level in New Era’s sales organization. Grundtisch started as a sales representative in 1993 and won several awards during his early years. Under his direction, New Era’s national sales team has been further developed to aggressively seek out, and react to, opportunities that have made the company an industry leader in the fashion driven headwear market.

Since his hiring in 1994, John DeWaal has overseen the creation of the company’s current brand identity and platform and has led the company in its sports marketing and national brand-building efforts. DeWaal has also overseen the development of New Era’s international marketing efforts in Europe, Japan and Latin America.

Bill Adams is a sports industry veteran who has years of experience leading a national sales team. Since his hiring in 2001, Bill has helped New Era solidify and further develop a highly motivated and productive sales team in the company’s Eastern United States region.