DAN ORWIG JOINS PEERLESS CLOTHING AS PRESIDENT

Peerless Clothing International, the largest manufacturer of men’s tailored clothing in North America, has announced that Dan Orwig will take over as president on September 14th. Orwig succeeds John Tighe, who left the company earlier this month.

Orwig will be departing his current role as group president of men’s apparel for Itochu Prominent USA. Itochu has partnered with Peerless for many years on product development and supply chain solutions. Orwig’s move will solidify the long-standing Peerless-Itochu relationship.

“Dan has worked closely with Peerless for many years,” notes Peerless CEO Alvin Segal. “We are excited to have him join our executive team. With Dan’s strong track record working across the retail marketplace, I’m confident his leadership will position Peerless well for the future.”

Ron Wurtzburger agrees. “I’ve watched Dan grow in his leadership roles at both Itochu and the Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council for many years. His knowledge of piece goods, production, sourcing, and selling is beyond compare. And then there’s his amazing ability to negotiate… He will surely bring fresh energy, leadership, and wisdom to our team. (I will continue to ask him to sit rather than stand in meetings so I don’t strain my neck looking up at him…)”

“Peerless has always inspired me by how they react and capitalize on market trends,” said Orwig. “As the leader of men’s tailored apparel, no one does it better. I’m looking forward to working with this first-class organization to help position the company for continued growth. I want to thank Mr. Segal and the management team for considering me for this position.”

Asked if he has any trepidations about joining a tailored clothing company in this era of “Zoom-ing” in t-shirts and sweatpants, Orwig is thoughtful. “I’m hopeful that by early 2021, there will be herd immunity, a vaccine, or at least successful treatments for COVID-19. I also believe that by spring ’21, the pent-up desire to dress up will kick in. Guys will need suits for proms and weddings; the wedding business could double since so many were postponed. People will want to dress more professionally, especially since today’s tailored clothing is lighter and more comfortable than ever. (I started my career 19 years ago as a textile salesman running around the city in July carrying two heavy suitcases and wearing a heavy wool suit!)”

Asked the first thing he plans to do upon joining Peerless, Orwig talks about helping the team get through the pandemic. “I’ve played sports my whole life and I’m a team player: my goal now is to support the all-star team that already exists at Peerless. I know them all well: Anna can confirm that I’ve spent two hours a day for the past ten years waiting for Ronny. He trained me for the past decade, has given me some great insights, and remains my inspiration. While there’s no replacing Ronny, I’m really excited about moving forward with this terrific team. It will be a lot of work but we’ll make it a lot of fun.”