Footwear Insight

6 • Footwear Insight ~ May/June 2022 footwearinsight.com By Cara Griffin O rthoLite, which recently launched Cirql, an EVA plastics-free, recyclable, biodegradable and industrially compostable foam, announced that Kristin Kohler Burrows has been hired as Chief Brand Officer. Prior to joining the OrthoLite and Cirql teams, Burrows held leadership positions at several footwear brands including Converse, Keds, Adidas, Fila and G.H. Bass and most recently served as a management consultant in the Consumer and Retail Group at Alvarez & Marsal. Chief Brand Officer (CBO) is a newly created role for OrthoLite and Cirql. Burrows' role will include being "the architect of corporate brand identity that resonates with the company's global stakeholder community comprising brand partners, manufacturers, raw material suppliers, retailers and the end consumer." Darn Tough Vermont, manufacturer of performance outdoor and lifestyle socks, has promoted Angelica Taylor to Chief Operating Officer. Taylor, who has over a decade of finance experience, spent the last year as Darn Tough's Vice President of Finance. Taylor's responsibilities will focus on Finance, IT, and Business Operations. She will design and implement business strategies to drive growth for the Darn Tough brand. Crocs has hired Deanna Bratter as Vice President, Global Head of Sustainability. In this newly created role for Crocs, Bratter will be responsible for driving the company toward its goal of achieving net zero by 2030, and enhancing commitments and impacts across environmental sustainability, social responsibility and corporate governance (ESG). Bratter joins Crocs from Danone North America, where she was Vice President of Sustainable Development/One Planet. Zappos promoted company veteran Scott Schaefer to CEO. Schaefer has spent nearly 14 years at Amazon-owned Zappos. He had been serving as acting CEO since December following the resignation of Kedar Deshpande. His appointment as Zappos' CEO came nearly two years after the late Tony Hsieh, founder of the Las Vegas firm, stepped down as CEO. Before becoming acting CEO, Schaefer served as the VP of finance at Zappos. In his new role, he will oversee the company's 1,400+ employees. Sneaker and streetwear retailer SNIPES has hired Rich Foster as Chief Marketing Officer. Foster will join the company's growing executive team and report to Jim Bojko, President of SNIPES' US operations. Foster will lead the company's integrated marketing team responsible for establishing its position in the sneaker and streetwear marketplace and building connections with consumers. He will oversee marketing, community impact, creative innovation and the brand's social media initiatives. Foster most recently held the role of Vice President of Marketing at Epic Records where he led digital and traditional marketing campaigns for Giveon, 21 Savage, Rick Ross and Travis Scott. n Deanna Bratter, Crocs Angelica Taylor, Darn Tough EXECUTIVE NEWS: OrthoLite, Darn Tough Vermont, Crocs, Zappos, SNIPES BUSINESS THE FOOTWEAR EYE Kristin Kohler Burrows, OrthoLite Rich Foster, SNIPES Scott Schaefer, Zappos

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