by Larry Eder
Queen Harrison, ASICS sponsored athlete
ASICS announced its third leader of ASICS America in twenty-five years. Rich Bourne spent nineteen years at the helm of ASICS America, guiding them through some challenging times. Kevin Wulff spent his five years building that business, increasing sales to over $1 billion and developing the new corporate campus.
In both leaders, ASICS had leadership with very different styles.
In naming this third corporate leader, ASICS Worldwide has picked a man who has experience from all sides of the sport. A former miler with the Florida Track Club, Gene McCarthy guided Brand Jordan through some challenging times, then, moved onto Reebok, and helped build that brand. His time at Timberland, Under Armour and Merrell make him one of most experienced executives in this footwear culture.
Gene McCarthy is cheerleader, salesman, and tactical leader. At ease in front of a crowd, Gene can do the talk and do the walk.
ASICS Quantum 360, launched July 2015
The challenge for ASICS Worldwide is that, still, many consider it the sleeping giant. The quality of ASICS product is unquestioned. What ASICS America has done is allow ASICS to increase its loyalty base, and evolve the global culture to meet needs in the local communities.
Gene McCarthy starts at ASICS on October 1.
Kevin Wulff leaves ASICS America before the end of the year.
Many eyes will be watching ASICS as they begin the next part of their journey.
ASICS Announces Retirement Of ASICS America Group President And CEO, Kevin Wulff, And Hiring Of Industry Leader Gene McCarthy As New Top ExecutiveIRVINE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — ASICS today announced the retirement of ASICS America Group President and CEO, Kevin Wulff, and the hiring of industry leader Gene McCarthy to join the company as the chief executive of its largest region, which comprises the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. McCarthy will join the company effective October 1, 2015, and Wulff will retire at the end of this year.
“Kevin has been a tremendous leader, driving significant growth for the company and helping to position ASICS as a true multi-sport performance brand. ASICS America is very well-positioned for continued success, thanks in large part to Kevin’s efforts over the last five years,” said Motoi Oyama, CEO of ASICS Corporation. “We are also thrilled to welcome industry veteran Gene McCarthy to the ASICS family, and believe he is the perfect person to help drive our business and brand forward, given his impressive track record and vision in the industry.”
Wulff joined ASICS America as President in February 2010 and was named CEO in August 2010. He led the region during a period of significant growth, taking annual sales from approximately $680 million to a record of over $1 billion in 2014. During his tenure, the expanded apparel category surpassed the $100 million mark, and brand marketing was refreshed to position ASICS as a leading multi-sport brand. He transformed ASICS’ lifestyle category and launched Direct to Consumer. Wulff was instrumental in expanding the business in the Americas, solidifying subsidiaries in Brazil and Canada and the newly opened subsidiary in Mexico. He also restructured and strengthened the Americas leadership team and leaves a legacy of growth and profitability, as well as a new Distribution Center in Byhalia, Mississippi, and a state-of-the-art ASICS campus in Irvine, California, featuring a world-class sports performance center.
“ASICS America Group has accomplished a lot over the past five years and we are very proud of the successful execution of our stated strategies and strong results,” said Wulff. “As I conclude my time as the head of our great team at ASICS America Group, I would like to thank our Board of Directors, retailers, partners and our elite ASICS athletes. Most importantly, I would like to thank our valued employees for making the last five years some of the most rewarding and enjoyable of my corporate career.”
Incoming ASICS America Group President and CEO, Gene McCarthy, is a recognized leader in the sporting goods and footwear and apparel industries with more than 30 years of experience in executive positions at world-leading brands, including Merrell, Under Armour, Reebok, Timberland and Nike, where he spent 21 years in sales and marketing management positions, including Global Director of Sales and Retail Marketing for Brand Jordan.
“ASICS is an amazing brand with so much loyalty and credibility among its global consumer base,” said McCarthy. “As a lifelong athlete with an immense respect for the brand, I am honored to have been selected to help take ASICS America into its next phase of growth during such a dynamic time in our industry.”
Most recently, McCarthy served as President of Merrell, managing all aspects of its worldwide business, including creative direction for both footwear and apparel, sales, marketing and retail. Previously, McCarthy was Senior Vice President of footwear for Under Armour, where he oversaw the entire footwear organization, a major part of the company’s growth strategy. Prior to Under Armour, McCarthy was a senior executive at The Timberland Company, serving as Co-President, where he led strategic development for the brand, consumer activation, product direction and corporate social responsibility. At Timberland, he led a re-direction for online business development and authored and launch the company’s first integrated Global Consumer Access Strategy, encompassing wholesale, owned retail, distributor and franchise divisions. McCarthy also served as Senior Vice President for Reebok’s global footwear engine.
To learn more about ASICS America, please visit: http://www.asicsamerica.com.
About ASICS
Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of performance athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com.
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