S&S, formerly S&S Activewear, appointed Sean Eckhardt, a veteran of the spirits industry, as SVP of U.S. sales.
The wholesale distributor of blank apparel, sportswear and accessories said: “Eckhardt joins S&S with nearly 30 years of commercial leadership experience and a proven track record of leading high-performing sales organizations, driving transformational growth and developing winning teams.”
In his role at S&S, Eckhardt “will lead the company’s national sales organization, advancing its commercial strategy, strengthening partnerships, investing in talent, and delivering even greater value to customers.”
“Sean is an accomplished commercial leader whose collaborative style and customer-first mindset make him a tremendous addition to our team,” said S&S Chief Commercial Officer Toby Whitmoyer. “Finding the right leader for this role was incredibly important, and we’re confident his experience and perspective will help us strengthen our sales organization while staying focused on what matters most – our customers.”
Eckhardt succeeds Jim Strugell, who recently announced his retirement after helping “lead S&S through its transformation following the acquisition of Alphabroder.”
Eckhardt spent most of his career working with some of the largest distributors in the U.S. beverage alcohol industry. Most recently, he served as chief commercial officer at Casa Del Sol Tequila, where he “helped expand the brand’s national distribution, attract new investors and develop a long-term strategy to accelerate growth.”
Previously, he worked as the SVP and managing director of U.S. sales at Bacardi USA, where he “led the transformation of the commercial organization through a focus on talent development, accountability, and data-driven decision making.” Earlier in his career, he built and led a national sales organization at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the country’s largest wine and spirits distributor, and held sales leadership roles with multiple distributors, including Reyes Beverage.
“I’m excited to join S&S at such an important time for the business,” Eckhardt said. “The company has built an outstanding reputation for customer service, innovation, and execution, and I’m ready to apply my fresh perspective and partner with the team to build on that success. My focus is on listening, learning, and working alongside our sales organization to continue delivering exceptional value for our customers.”
Images courtesy S&S
