Brown Shoe Company, Inc. (NYSE: BWS, www.brownshoe.com)
will make a series of changes within its leadership team as Division
President-Wholesale Gary Rich and Division President-Retail Joe Wood
announce their plans to retire in 2010. Both will remain with Brown Shoe
until early 2010 to facilitate an orderly succession of their
responsibilities to leaders within the company, all of whom have had
increasing responsibilities in recent years and also bring significant
industry experience to their new roles.
"Over his more than 20 years with Brown Shoe, Gary Rich has had a
positive and lasting influence on many of our wholesale brands, from the
revitalization of Naturalizer in 2004 that increased our ability to
bring consumers the comfort and style they expect, to the continuing
development of Dr. Scholl's into a leading footwear brand. He also
established Brown Shoe's leadership in the celebrity artist category by
forging partnerships with top entertainers like Carlos Santana, Fergie
and Reba McEntire. Gary's emphasis on retail partnerships and keen
consumer insights are the foundation for this area of our business, and
that spirit will remain as we continue its growth," said Brown Shoe
President and Chief Operating Officer Diane Sullivan.
Sullivan continued, "Since joining the company in 2002, Joe Wood's
vision and unrelenting focus on our customers have guided outstanding
work across the organization in growing Famous Footwear into one of the
largest footwear retailers selling brand name shoes for the entire
family. The collaborative relationships he has built with vendor
partners ensure our shoppers will find a fresh assortment of the brands
they love, and the right shoes at the right time. Through these and
countless other initiatives, Joe has become an indelible part of Famous
Footwear's legacy."
Rick Ausick, currently Division President-Brown Shoe Wholesale with
responsibility for Naturalizer, Via Spiga, Franco Sarto, Etienne Aigner,
Vera Wang Lavender and Nickels Soft, will assume the role of Division
President-Famous Footwear. Ausick joined the company in 2002 as Famous
Footwear's Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, and
worked closely with Wood as the chain transformed into a compelling
retailer of nationally recognized brands for the family offering
consumers convenience and everyday value. Ausick assumed his wholesale
responsibilities in 2006.
Mark Lardie will assume the role of Division President-Wholesale, with
responsibility for Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's and LifeStride, as well as
the company's specialty retail stores. Lardie joined Famous Footwear as
Vice President-General Merchandise Manager in 2005, and was named Senior
Vice President-General Merchandise Manager in 2006. He has worked
closely with the buying teams to enhance the chain's footwear offering
for consumers.
Dan Friedman will be named Division President-Wholesale, Product and
Sourcing, with oversight for Women's Specialty, Children's and celebrity
artist brands, including Carlos by Carlos Santana and Fergie. Friedman
joined Brown Shoe in 2006 as Senior Vice President-Product Development
and Sourcing, and will maintain his responsibility for the company's
worldwide sourcing operations and product development initiatives.
Clay Jenkins will assume the role of Senior Vice President-Specialty
Brands, adding Brown Shoe's celebrity artist lines to his current
responsibility for Women's Specialty and Children's. Jenkins has held a
series of positions since joining Brown Shoe in 1989, most recently
Senior Vice President-Brown Wholesale.
Jay Schmidt will expand his current role to become Senior Vice
President-Wholesale, Better and Image Brands, adding responsibility for
Franco Sarto, Etienne Aigner and Nickels Soft to his oversight of Via
Spiga and Vera Wang Lavender Label. Schmidt joined Brown Shoe in 2008 as
Senior Vice President and General Manager-Image Brands.
John Mazurk will assume the role of Senior Vice President-Consumer and
Retail Business Development, with oversight for the Direct to Consumer
area, including shoes.com and other branded e-commerce sites, and will
spearhead the creation of a dedicated digital and social media
competency. Mazurk joined the company in 2002 as Senior Vice
President-Retail Sales for Famous Footwear, was named Senior Vice
President-Specialty Retail including Naturalizer retail in 2005, and
additionally assumed Naturalizer wholesale in 2008.
"Gary's and Joe's leadership, innovation, bold moves and passion for the
customer have been instrumental in driving growth at Brown Shoe. Their
countless contributions have set the cornerstone for building the future
of this company, and I thank them for their dedication. Brown Shoe's
philosophy on seeking out and developing top talent ensures we have the
right people within the company to manage through this change while
retaining our consumer focus. I am confident our leadership team will
continue to consistently deliver style, convenience, quality and value
to our customers," said Brown Shoe Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ron Fromm.
About Brown Shoe
Brown Shoe is a $2.2 billion footwear company with global operations.
Brown Shoe's Retail division operates Famous Footwear, the more than
1,100-store chain that sells brand name shoes for the family,
approximately 300 specialty retail stores in the U.S., Canada, and China
primarily under the Naturalizer brand name, and footwear e-tailer
Shoes.com. Through its Wholesale divisions, Brown Shoe markets leading
footwear brands including Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, Franco Sarto,
LifeStride, Etienne Aigner, Via Spiga, and Sam Edelman. Brown Shoe press
releases are available on the Company's website at http://www.brownshoe.com
