Russell Corporation has elected Julio A. Barea senior vice president of the company and chief executive officer for the domestic activewear business. Barea, who will officially join the company October 27, will be responsible for Russell's artwear and mass retail businesses. He will be based at the headquarters in Atlanta and report to Jonathan R. Letzler, president and chief operating officer.
“Julio will focus on continuing to improve our competitive positioning in these two business channels,” Letzler said. “His operations-oriented experience will certainly help lead the way to additional growth for artwear and mass retail products.”
Barea has more than 30 years experience in the apparel industry in the United States and Latin America. He began his career in 1970 with Wrangler Jeans and also spent 19 years with Sara Lee Corporation's knit products operation. At Sara Lee, his positions included vice president of the Caribbean operations and executive vice president for all knit products manufacturing and distribution. In addition to being a vice president of Sara Lee Corporation, he also was chief executive officer of Sara Lee Underwear and then chief executive officer of their Latin American Branded Apparel Unit.
