Underlining strategic expansion in both its brand and business, Saucony, Inc., has named Fran Allen to the newly created position of senior vice president of global sales. Mr. Allen will join Saucony on September 8th, reporting directly to Richie Woodworth, president of Saucony, who made the announcement.
Allen comes to Saucony from New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., where as executive vice president of North American sales he was responsible for the brands U.S. and Canadian sales operations. Over his nearly two-decade career with New Balance, Allen was instrumental in growing the brand into a leading premium athletic footwear and apparel company. Additionally, Allen was responsible for the successful creation of the independent New Balance Retail Store concept, with 170 stores currently in North America.
Before joining New Balance, Allen served in various sales and product marketing positions, including director of sales for Foot-Joy and vice president of sales and product at Puma, USA.
“Fran is a forward-thinking industry veteran whos experienced in strategically directing fast-paced global growth, making him the perfect choice to further drive Sauconys brand expansion,” said Woodworth. “Bringing Fran onboard complements the incredibly talented team we already have in place in a way that underscores the exciting momentum in both our footwear and apparel businesses. His leadership abilities and personal integrity make him a perfect match for our Saucony culture,” he added.
In the past month alone, Sauconys growing momentum has been underlined by key industry awards for both its road and trail products, including: Runners World magazines “Best Buy” for the ProGrid Jazz 12; Runners World magazines “Editors Choice” for the ProGrid Xodus trail shoe; and Outside magazines “The Gear of the Year” for the ProGrid Triumph 5, among others.
Allen holds a B.A. from Princeton University and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Sports Museum of New England.
