Tracksmith, the Boston-based running brand, has named Jon Tappan, formerly at Converse, as chief product and merchandising officer to particularly advance its footwear offerings.
Tracksmith launched in 2014 as an apparel brand and introduced its first footwear in September 2022.
Tappan joins Tracksmith following a 16 year career at Converse spanning product, merchandising, ecommerce and retail. Most recently, he held senior leadership roles overseeing the brand’s global product engines for footwear, apparel & accessories with responsibility for the innovation, design, product, development, regional creation and merchandising organizations.
During his tenure, Tappan “helped develop new categories and partnerships for Converse while working across the product journey, from assortment and merchandising to retail and the consumer experience,” according to Tracksmith.
“Jon understands the discipline required to build enduring product franchises without losing what makes a brand distinctive,” said Jared Carver, CEO of Tracksmith. “He has spent his career thinking about product at scale, how you create clarity across an assortment, build categories over time and translate a brand’s point of view into a compelling retail experience. That experience will be invaluable as we continue to evolve Tracksmith.”
A key priority for Tappan will be Tracksmith’s growing footwear business. Tappan will work alongside its design and development teams to refine the broader product architecture, strengthen the relationship between footwear and apparel, and identify opportunities to build franchises across categories.
“Tracksmith has built a remarkably clear point of view around running and the role that great product can play in the experience of the sport,” Tappan said. “There is an enormous opportunity to build on that foundation — refining the assortment, developing footwear into a meaningful part of the business and creating retail environments that express the brand in a way that feels distinctly Tracksmith. I’m excited to help shape what comes next.”
Tappan, who is based in Boston. will also oversee Tracksmith’s retail strategy, helping evolve its physical spaces as both commercial environments and gathering places for local running communities. Tracksmith has two stores in Boston and Brooklyn.
Images courtesy Tracksmith
