The OvareGroup, based in Los Angeles, hired retail veteran Kara Anastasiadis as president of the newly formed OvareGroup Outdoor division. Based in Calgary, Anastasiadis spent 17 years with FGL Sports Ltd., a division of Canadian Tire Corporation.
At FGL Sports, she held executive merchandising and strategy roles. Most recently she was responsible for merchandising for its women’s division where she had direct accountability for $400 million in retail sales under the Sport Chek and Atmosphere banners. Anastasiadis also led teams that developed and launched the first Sport Chek Kid’s and Women’s Only concept stores.
“Kara is the ideal person to lead our newly formed outdoor group,” noted OvareGroup Chairman and CEO Jordan F. Reber. “Her experience in merchandising, assortment curation and category development, including deep knowledge of the North American consumer and marketplace, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and expand our portfolio of outdoor brands.”
OvareVentures, part of OvareGroup, has been actively expanding its portfolio of outdoor brands through acquisition, investment and the launch of direct-to-consumer brands. Anastasiadis will be critical in future acquisitions and in leading the teams responsible for Bridge Bikeworks, a handmade carbon bike manufacturer; Pulse Boot Lab and Ski Company, an ski and boot boutique, and developer of a custom ski boot fitting system; BE Outfitter, an outdoor gear company; Kenver, Ltd., a sportswear boutique and outdoor retail hub; and Gull Lake Boat Works, a builder of custom wooden canoes and kayaks
Photo courtesy OvareGroup
