INDUSTRY MOVES: EYEBOBS AND UNDER ARMOUR MAKE EXECUTIVE CHANGES

eyebobs
by Stephen Garner Sep 16, 2016
eyebobs
Michael Hollenstein (L) with Roddy Mann (R)

Eyewear company Eyebobs has appointed Michael Hollenstein to the newly created position of vice president of consumer direct, and Roddy Mann joins the brand as vice president of sales.

Hollenstein will be responsible for expanding the direct-to-consumer business, which includes e-commerce and catalog.  Prior to joining Eyebobs, Hollenstein was vice president of merchandising for Sportsman’s Guide. As leader of the product management team, he helped Sportsman’s Guide deliver over $300 million in annual volume. Previously, Hollenstein led the direct purchase division at G&K Services, and from 2000 to 2008 he helped build the Duluth Trading Co. business as vice president of product development.

Mann will be leading the company’s sales team, where he will apply his extensive experience to support current retail partners, as well as explore new distribution channels both in the U.S. and abroad. In his previous position as executive vice president of strategy and sales for Vera Bradley, Mann oversaw the company’s brick-and-mortar channels, as well led customer service and strategic planning during a challenging turnaround period.

“Mike and Roddy’s respective experience building high-performance cultures and scalable customer-centric organizations will help support eyebobs’ expansion,” said Michael Magerman, CEO of Eyebobs.

under armourAdditionally, Baltimore-based athletic apparel brand Under Armour has named Jason LaRose as its new president of North America. He will succeed Matthew Mirchin, who will transition to the role of strategic advisor of global revenue, effective October 1.

Mirchin has been with the company since 2005, serving in a number of senior management positions in sales and marketing. LaRose joined Under Armour in 2013 to lead its global e-commerce business, eventually becoming senior vice president of digital revenue in 2015. Both executives have been key contributors to Under Armour’s global success and will continue to work together to deliver a best-in-class consumer experience and strong results across its sales channels. During this transition period, LaRose will continue to lead the e-commerce business, while being actively involved in the search process to identify his successor.

“I would like to thank Matt for his strong leadership, vision and many contributions including leading the sales and marketing organizations at Under Armour over the last 11 years,” said Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour. “During his time at the company, Matt has become one of our chief architects in building the Under Armour brand and telling our story around the world. I would also like to congratulate Jason on his new role, where he and Matt will continue to accelerate our footprint in North America.”