Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW) announced today the appointment of Gordon Baird to the position of Managing Director for the Company's Caterpillar Footwear European operations. Baird will report to Blake W. Krueger, President of the Heritage Brands Group, and will be responsible for all aspects of the Caterpillar UK and European businesses.
“CAT Footwear is a leading global brand with a historically strong presence in the UK and Europe,” stated Krueger. “With almost fifty percent of the CAT footwear global pairs currently sold in the European market, Gordon is joining us in a pivotal role. We believe the brand has significant upside potential in this key global market and that there exists a great opportunity for continued growth. Gordon is a footwear industry veteran with strong brand-building experience having held senior positions at both Adidas-Salomon and Timberland. With his exceptional leadership and marketing skills, and his proven track record of success, we expect that he will make an immediate impact and help accelerate the current momentum of the CAT Footwear brand in Europe.”
“Working with Blake Krueger and the rest of the CAT Footwear team is a tremendous opportunity to make a strong brand name even stronger,” stated Gordon Baird. “Helping the CAT brand realize its full potential in the European footwear market is a challenge I look forward to as I work with the CAT team to develop a highly focused product and marketing effort.”
Baird joins CAT Footwear having most recently served as Managing Director for Adidas' Northern Europe operations where he oversaw the integration of its UK and Benelux subsidiary companies. He also ran Timberland's UK and Scandinavian operations and has worked in the branded consumer goods industry for more than 22 years.
With a commitment to service and product excellence, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. is one of the world's leading marketers of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear and slippers. The Company's portfolio of highly recognized brands includes: Bates(R), Hush Puppies(R), HYTEST(R), Merrell(R), Sebago(R) and Wolverine(R). The Company also markets footwear under popular licensed brands including CAT(R), Harley- Davidson(R) and Stanley(R). The Company's products are carried by leading retailers in the U.S. and are distributed internationally in over 140 countries. For additional information, please visit our website, http://www.wolverineworldwide.com .