Footwear Insight

8 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2024 footwearinsight.com Skechers has added Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to its Slip-ins team of endorsers. As the latest Skechers ambassador, the coach is now appearing in a Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins print campaign that illustrates the com- fort and convenience of the brand's "innovative and effortless" signature footwear collection. A second phase of his Skechers campaign will be announced in 2025. e Work Group of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. announced the appointment of industry veteran Mike Maloney as its new Chief Product Officer. Maloney will spearhead product development, merchandise strategy, and market expansion initiatives for all brands within the Work Group, including Wolverine, CAT Footwear, Bates, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Merrell Work and Hytest. He will report di- rectly to Tom Kennedy, President of the Work Group. Maloney has more than 19 years of footwear industry experience at companies such as Adidas, Under Armour, Columbia Sportswear and Designer Brands. Birkenstock has opened a store on Newbury Street in Boston, its seventh company-owned retail store in the United States. e store's inte- rior showcases the brand's heritage materials of cork, felt, and leather, and a brand history area features archive materials and artifacts. e store includes digital integration including BOPIS (buy online pick up in store) and BORIS (buy online return in store) services. Wolverine World Wide brand Merrell announced it has named Noreen Naroo-Pucci as Chief Product Officer. e move comes as Merrell looks to expand its presence further in lifestyle offerings. Naroo- Pucci was most recently the Chief Product Officer at Mizzen+Main, a young menswear brand. Her career also includes serving as the Senior Vice President of Design, Menswear – North America for Calvin Klein and eleven years at Under Armour as Senior Creative Director and Vice President of Global Design Engine. n News of Note: Skechers, Birkenstock, Wolverine, Merrell COMPANY NEWS T aos Footwear will turn 20 in 2025, and the brand will ring in the new year with some internal promotions and moves. Bill Langrell, current COO, will be promoted to President/ COO. He has been with Taos from the start and has been integral in running the company for years. Sylvia Jensen, current national sales manager, will be promoted to Vice President of Domestic Sales. She has been with the brand from early on and is respected around the industry. Mike Walker, current Director of Marketing and E-Commerce, will be promoted to Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce. The industry veteran has already made a big mark on the company in his nearly three years with Taos. "All three of these team members have an incredible work ethic, will roll up their sleeves and do whatever they can for the company," states Glen Barad, president and founder of täōs Footwear, who will take on the role of CEO as of Jan. 1. "They have shown resilience through the good times and the challenging times. They are smart, caring, well respected and are the heart and soul of Taos along with all of the people they have surrounded themselves with. I could not be more proud of them and what they have built and continue to build." n Exec Promotions At täōs THE FOOTWEAR EYE Andy Reid

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