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New Converse Executives Prepare to Reawaken American Icon.
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Seasoned sporting goods leaders
converse sale join ranks to bring glory back to historic
athletic brand.
NORTH READING, Mass., June 11 /PRNewswire/ --
Some things are worth saving. When investor group Footwear Acquisition, Inc., acquired the Converse athletic brand in late April 2001 from a company in Chapter 11, the new owners bought a historical symbol deeply imbedded in American popular culture. Determined to maintain the legendary Converse spirit and to successfully compete in a global business economy,
converse shoes new co-chairmen William Simon and Marsden Cason recently announced the company's new all-star executive team and set a plan in motion to re-ignite the brand.
The new team is led by chief executive officer Jack Boys, an athletic shoe and sporting goods industry veteran, recognized for his marketing leadership that put The North Face Inc. on the map in the late 1990s. Boys, a one-time Converse employee, created the successful line of basketball products that were launched with the memorable "Grandma-ma" campaign in the early 1990's. He then led marketing at Avia Athletic Footwear before being recruited by Simon and Cason to drive marketing at The North Face. Boys
cheap converse intends to quickly develop new product leadership and branding strategies and reconstruct Converse into a new economy company by rebuilding its infrastructure from the ground up. His priority
cheap vans is to uphold the brand's image and quality by creating a worldwide product design and development center that will provide footwear and related products for the worldwide marketplace.
Founded in 1908, Converse gained notoriety among basketball players and fans with its canvas All Star(R) basketball shoes that took on the name of 1920s basketball hero Chuck Taylor. In the past 93 years Chuck Taylor(R) shoes have become the world's most popular athletic shoe, selling more than 750 million pairs. The brand expanded into multiple sports categories and reached cult status in the '70s, '80s and '90s through its association with pop icons such as Happy Days, grunge band Nirvana, and sports legends Magic Johnson, Jimmy Connors and Larry Bird.
"Converse is an icon that is revered and as much a part of the cultural fabric as Coca-Cola and Levi's," Simon said. "It is distinctly American and encompasses the individualistic American spirit. The new executive team will capitalize on that foundation and drive the brand to new levels."
In May, Boys, Simon and Cason assembled an MVP cast of executives with more than a century's-worth of product leadership and branding expertise to carry out the new vision, including:
* Lisa Kempa, Vice President Finance -- a strategic planning and financial
leader, most recently with The North Face Inc.
* Laura Kelley, Vice President Legal -- an eleven-year Converse executive
with responsibility for the corporation's legal activities.
* Jim Stroesser, Vice President Sales -- recently director of sales for
Oakley Inc. and a successful sales leader for Nike, LA Gear, Kaepa and
New Balance.
* David Maddocks, Vice President Marketing and Product Development - a
big-picture marketing strategist formerly with RealNetworks, K2 and
Avia.
* Tim Ouellette, Vice President Licensing -- a long-time international
licensing, business development,
vans shoes sales and marketing executive with past
ties to Le Coq Sportif, Deckers Outdoor Corp., Donnay and other
prominent sports-related marketing organizations.
* Lloyd Wallsten, Vice President Distribution -- a 24-year distribution
management expert who formerly developed systems for major e-commerce
start-ups and sporting goods companies such as The North Face.
* Jerry Lan, Managing Director of Far East Operations -- a former director
for Pou Chen Manufacturing overseeing the production of high-end,
technical products for Timberland and Nike, Inc. Mr. Lan has also led
development for adidas, K-Swiss, and Diadora.
* Ellen Garvey, Director of Information Technology, who brought Converse
corporate offices and distribution centers into the digital age when she
joined the company in 1987.
Immediately the management team intends to fully staff its corporate offices and focus on delivering previously written product orders. Once the systems are in place, product teams will focus on expanding Converse's reach across several sports categories.
"Consumers made Converse into a world-class brand. Nothing will ever change that," Boys said. "Some of the greatest athletes in the world performed legendary feats in Converse products. The brand has a legitimacy that will continue to be validated through premier performance products."
About Converse Inc.:
Footwear Acquisition, Inc. was incorporated on February 22, 2001 and changed its name to, Converse Inc. on May 21, 2001. Converse is led by Marsden Cason, William Simon and Perseus Acquisition/Recapitalization Fund, L.L.C. Cason and Simon have extensive experience owning and operating branded sporting goods companies. Perseus Acquisition/ Recapitalization Fund, L.L.C. is a private equity fund formed to back successful management teams and make substantial investments in leveraged acquisitions and recapitalizations of operating companies.
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