Fila Names Gary Wakley Vice President Footwear
New York, NY, July 25, 2007 — President of Fila’s global operations, Y.C. Cho announced today that the company had named Gary Wakley as Vice President, Footwear.
Mr. Wakley, 58, joins Fila from Prince Sports Inc. where he spent the past three years as Senior Director of Footwear and Apparel. With more than 36 years experience in the footwear and apparel industry, Mr. Wakley has held senior product and marketing positions at Endicott Johnson, Bata Shoe Company, Romika, Lotto and adidas.
In his new capacity for Fila, Mr. Wakley will manage a team that is responsible for product management, development, and sourcing. His team will work closely with the Fila design and marketing groups to execute seasonal product strategies.
A 1971 graduate of Marshall University, Mr. Wakley received a degree in Marketing and Retailing.
Mr. Wakley will be based out of Fila’s New York office and will report to Mr. Cho. He joins Jon Epstein, Fila USA President, Bruce Fendell, VP Footwear and Apparel Sales and Andrea Greco, VP and COO as the newest members of Fila’s senior management team.
In announcing the appointment of Mr. Wakley as VP Footwear, Mr. Cho stated, “We are pleased to have further strengthened our senior management team with the addition of Gary Wakley. His varied experience in the footwear category, including product development, marketing and sourcing, will add immediate value to our organization.”
Established in Italy in 1911, Fila is a leading manufacturer of footwear and apparel for sport and leisure that has developed excellent brand recognition by marketing products with a high design and style content that are endorsed by professional athletes from around the world.
Fila has strong equity in traditional country club sports including tennis, golf and ski. Additionally it has been a leader among athletically inspired lifestyle brands targeting a core 18-34 year old consumer who aspires to urban culture.
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