Wolverine World Wide, Inc. appointed industry veteran Justin Cupps as president of its Work Group, overseeing Wolverine, Bates, CAT Footwear, Harley-Davidson Footwear, HyTest, and Merrell Work.
Cupps will report directly to President and CEO Chris Hufnagel of Wolverine Worldwide and join the company’s executive team.
“Justin is a proven leader with deep experience and expertise in brand building, go-to-market commercial strategies, and driving growth,” said Hufnagel. “His entrepreneurial spirit and team-first approach make him an ideal fit to lead the Work Group today as we drive to build awesome products and tell amazing stories – focused squarely on our consumer and ultimately delivering value to our shareholders.”
Cupps joins Wolverine Worldwide with nearly 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation across global consumer brands, including Under Armour, Adidas, Gant, and And 1. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of North America Sport Performance Brands at EssilorLuxottica, where he led a $1.25 billion portfolio anchored by Oakley and Costa Del Mar.
“Wolverine Worldwide is at an inflection point, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” said Cupps. “The Work Group brands possess tremendous heritage and authenticity, and at the same time are leaders in the industry today. I believe there’s tremendous opportunity and potential for these iconic brands and I’m energized by the journey ahead, including the chance to shape their great future while helping write the next amazing chapter for the company.”
Cupps replaces Tom Kennedy, who had led Wolverine Work since May 2020. Kennedy joined Wolverine in 2015 and was formerly president of Sperry.
Images courtesy Wolverine Worldwide
