ECCO, the leading family-owned global footwear brand, has added sales rep groups in four key territories to further expand its business in the outdoor and athletic specialty category. Having recently appointed Erik Walcott to Global Head of Specialty sales, the brand continues moving toward furthering its commitment to growth in outdoor and athletic in the US.
“The outdoor market is shifting and becoming much faster and more athletic and we see a lot of potential for ECCO Outdoor as we offer our retailers a point of difference, newness and most importantly, profitability,” said Thomas Dixon, National Sales and Product Manager for Outdoor for ECCO USA. “We’ve been able to recruit some of the best agencies and reps in the business, choosing partners who have the knowledge, expertise and mindset to grow with us.”
Pat Davis will lead the Green River Sales group in the Rockies, with accounts existing and currently opening in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. With Green River Sales, ECCO joins other notable outdoor and specialty brands including Mountain Hardwear and the STANLEY brand.
Stephanie Terrell Guth and Katie Woodruff of bettysport are taking on the South Central region for the brand, covering Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas, where they also drive sales for Eagle Creek, Outdoor Research, and Prana.
Paul Gerten of Gerten Outdoors will head up the Midwest states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin with proven sales for brands like Nemo and Primus.
Cody Prudoehl of Outside Moves adds ECCO outdoor to their sales mix which includes bringing Howler Brothers, Mammut, Nitro Snowboards, Oakley, and Topo Designs sales and service to specialty partners in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.
The new sales force joins current agencies in the Pacific Northwest and West Coast led by Bill Campbell of Strategic Sales Solutions, and the in Southeast, with Katherine Corbett of Venture Out Inc.
“This investment in our specialty channels comes with growth that has, despite a tough year, allowed us to partner with well-established rep groups who truly know specialty sales,” adds Dixon. “We now have a sales force in place that will nurture their strong connections, serve our retail base and create opportunities for us in new points of distribution in the ever evolving outdoor market.”
About ECCO
ECCO is one of the world’s leading shoe brands, combining style and comfort. ECCO’s success is built on products with a great fit and top-quality leathers. ECCO owns and manages every aspect of the value chain from tanneries and shoe manufacturing to wholesale and retail activities. ECCO’s products are sold in 90 countries from over 2,200 ECCO shops and more than 14,000 sales points. ECCO is family-owned, founded in Denmark in 1963, and employs more than 21,000 people worldwide. www.ecco.com
