California Apparel News

ASICS America, the Irvine, Calif.–based U.S. arm of Japanese footwear brand ASICS, hired Gene McCarthy to replace ASICS America Group President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Wulff, who is retiring at the end of the 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 Corp., in a company statement. “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.”

McCarthy will oversee ASICS Corp.’s largest region, which includes the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. A 30-year veteran of the footwear and athletic apparel industry, McCarthy spent more than 20 years at Nike, where he held several sales and marketing management positions, including Global Director of Sales and Retail Marketing for Brand Jordan. His career also includes executive positions at Under Armour, Reebok and Timberland. Most recently, he served as president of Merrell, overseeing the company’s creative direction for both footwear and apparel, sales, marketing and retail.

“ASICS is an amazing brand with so much loyalty and credibility among its global consumer base,” McCarthy said. “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.”

Wulff has been with ASICS America since 2010, when he was hired as the company’s president. Within six months he was named CEO. Under his tenure, the company grew its annual sales from approximately $680 million to more than $1 billion in 2014. He expanded the brand’s apparel category to surpass $100 million in sales and established ASICS as a multi-sport brand. He opened the company’s new distribution center in Byhalia, Miss., and turned ASICS’ Irvine headquarters into a state-of-the-art campus and 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,” Wulff said. “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.