Retail: 67
0.31%
Retail: 201
1.78%

Executive News
FILA North America Names President; Posts Solid FY18 Results

Less than two months after the sudden passing of Jon Epstein, FILA has a new president. Parent FILA Korea has promoted Jennifer Estabrook, a company veteran and the region’s acting president since Feb. 15, to president of FILA North America. She previously served as COO of FILA N.A. and head of the brand’s global licensing business. All divisions and departments of FILA N.A. will continue to report to Estabrook as the company continues hiring additional senior management to support the brand’s continued North American expansion.

In 2018, FILA N.A. reported net income of more than $23.2 million and a 7.5 percent operating margin, its best in three years, as revenues rose more than 48 percent to more than $452.5 million from $304.7 million in 2017. Separately, North American royalty revenues rose more than 13 percent last year to nearly $6.1 million. The company cited an improved sales mix with additional higher-margin products sold through the upper-tier distribution channel for the improvement.

“Jennifer Estabrook was the steady hand FILA N.A. family turned to without hesitation as we faced the shock and profound sadness of Jon Epstein’s death,” said Gene Yoon, FILA Chairman. “In the weeks since, our formal review has confirmed what Jon himself knew and said often: That Jennifer has the industry savvy, financial and operational command, and passion for the brand to guide FILA to its next stage of disciplined, high-octane global growth.”

In a related development, Acushnet Holdings, parent of Titleist and FootJoy, elects Kevin Yoon, son of Chairman Gene Yoon, to its board to complete the term of the late Jon Epstein. He has been president and CEO of Fila Korea since March 2018.

In other executive news:

• Sportsman’s Warehouse has hired former Callaway Golf senior executive Robert K. Julian as its new CFO to replace the retiring Kevan Talbot.

• Dalco Athletics named Russell Hiler as national sales manager. He will support the company’s independent sales reps.

• Delta Apparel appointed Glenda E. Hood, former Orlando mayor and Florida’s Secretary of State, to its board.

• Salomon hires former Backcountry.com buyer George Eagan as U.S. commercial manager for footwear.


Mon, Aug 28, 2017
Vol 1, Issue No. 33