Wolverine World Wide announced the appointment of Blake W. Krueger as president and COO. Mr. Krueger has served as an executive vice president and officer of the company for 10 years with responsibilities during this time for the human resources, retail, business development, accessory licensing, acquisitions, and legal areas. Mr. Krueger most recently served as president of the Heritage Brands Group. In this role, Mr. Krueger has been instrumental in driving significant operational and profit improvements on a global basis for the company's Harley-Davidson Footwear and CAT Footwear operations.
Commenting on this appointment, Timothy J. O'Donovan, chairman and CEO, stated, “I am pleased to announce this important move, which will enhance our leadership and strengthen our organization for continued global growth. Blake has been an integral driver of the company's growth and expanded global presence for many years. With his experience heading our retail operations, acquisitions, new business initiatives and as president of the Heritage Brands Group, Blake has developed an in-depth knowledge of the business and brings an innovative approach and pace to our operations. As president and COO, Blake will lead all of our branded operating groups as well as the company's retail division and the Global Operations Group. I look forward to working even more closely with Blake as we build the company's portfolio of global lifestyle brands and pursue the significant opportunities that lie ahead.”
Mr. Krueger added, “I am honored to be appointed president and COO, and look forward to supporting Tim and working with our seasoned management team to continue the outstanding growth and consistent earnings improvements the company has achieved over the past five years. Wolverine has a 122-year history of building strong global brands, and the future for the company has never been brighter. Our company, brands and management team are poised to take full advantage of growth opportunities on a global basis and to continue to build on our track record of operational excellence.”
