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WF FOOTPRINTS
HAPPENINGS, PEOPLE AND PLACES
47
JULY/AUGUST 2012 | www.footwearbiz.com
CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO LEAVE
KEEN
Outdoor footwear brand Keen
announced in May that its chief
executive, James Curleigh, was leaving
the company to be executive vice-
president of Levi Strauss & Co and
president of the Levi’s brand.
The news came just as Keen was
preparing to adopt a new five-year
strategic plan, setting the stage for future
growth, including continued global
expansion, new product lines, new US
and global factories and a new
headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
Over the last nine years, Keen has
grown from its original hybrid sandal, the
Newport, to an extensive line of outdoor
and casual footwear, bags and socks. Its
new strategic plan focuses on preparing
every aspect of the company for growth.
As examples of recent growth, Keen
pointed out it had recently opened a new
production facility in Portland as well as a
new retail store in Asia in June.
NEW SENIOR APPOINTMENT
AT BROWN SHOE
Brown Shoe Company has named Russ
Hammer chief financial officer, replacing
Mark Hood. He will be responsible for the
company's finance and accounting,
treasury, external reporting, tax, real
estate, information technology, and
investor relations functions. He will be
based at the company's corporate
headquarters in St Louis.
He most recently served as chief
financial officer of Orbitz Worldwide and
prior to that role, he was chief financial
officer of Crocs, where he led the
company's restructuring efforts and
supported its successful turnaround.
"I'm looking forward to returning to the
footwear industry with Brown Shoe
Company, as it continues to target the
strategic family, contemporary fashion and
healthy living consumer platforms in its
efforts to improve profitability and better
position itself for success in 2012 and the
years ahead," said Mr Hammer.
ROGERS EXECUTIVE SPEAKS
AT SPORTS ENGINEERING
CONFERENCE
Dave Sherman, new business
development manager for Rogers
Corporation’s Poron Cushioning range of
products, is presenting at the ninth
biennial International Sports Engineering
Association (ISEA) Conference, July 9-13,
at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
ISEA is a distinguished professional
organisation for the rapidly growing
discipline of sports engineering research
and industrial development in the world.
Its conference is held every two years and
attracts industrial and academic research
and development engineers.
POWER FORCE NAMES SHOE
DESIGN WINNERS
Power Force Apparel has announced the
winners of its first "Design the 'You' Shoe"
competition, selected from more than
7,800 entries from across the US. Athletic
footwear designers submitted their designs
for a chance to win up to $25,000, have
their designs produced by Power Force and
named after them.
Quintin Lamar Williams from Elko,
Georgia, won the top prize. A graduate of
Savannah College of Art & Design, he was
picked by the former Jordan brand design
director D-Wayne Edwards to join Pensole,
a footwear design course in Portland,
Oregon. Quintin recently completed a two-