Pearl Izumi, the manufacturer of cycling apparel, essentials and footwear, announced the promotion of Daran Godfrey to vice president and general manager, effective immediately.
Godfrey has been Pearl Izumi’s director of U.S. sales under the United Sports Brands umbrella for the past two years. Godfrey brings two decades of sales management experience in the cycling space to the role. He previously held leadership positions at brands including, Fox Racing, O’Neal, One Industries, and Oakley.
“As Vice President/General Manager, I am excited to take on this new challenge and continue stewarding such an iconic brand in the cycling industry,” said Godfrey. “Pearl Izumi has a rich heritage of innovation and performance, and I look forward to leading our talented teams as we drive forward with our mission to inspire and enable riders of all levels to enjoy the ride.”
As VP/GM, Godfrey will lead Pearl Izumi’s sales, marketing, direct-to-consumer, design, development, and product management teams. The aim is to “streamline the operations of these departments under one leader.”
“By folding these functions under a single leader, we will enhance the coordination and effectiveness of our go-to-market efforts for this specialty business,” said Phil Gyori, CEO of United Sports Brands. “We are excited to support Daran in this new role.”