Merrell has a new global brand president
Sue Rechner is leaving the company and Chris Hufnagel is filling the role.
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Wolverine World Wide today announced that Chris Hufnagel is the new global brand president of Merrell, a role that was previously held by Sue Rechner.
A 10-year veteran of Wolverine, Hufnagel most recently served as the global brand president of Cat Footwear. He has also been president of consumer direct, senior vice president, and co-chief transformation officer for the Wolverine Way Forward initiative.
“Chris took aggressive action to help the Cat Footwear team rapidly evolve its growth and go-to-market strategies,” Todd Spaletto, president of the Wolverine Michigan Group, said in a press release. “His demonstrated collaboration and partnerships within Wolverine, coupled with deep apparel and lifestyle brand experience, make him an ideal fit to build on the strong foundation already in place at Merrell.”
Rechner joined Merrell in May 2017. It is unclear where she is heading next.
Spaletto said about Rechner, “The Merrell brand has made significant accomplishments over the past two years with Sue’s leadership, and we want to thank her for her great work and wish her only the very best.”
Hufnagel will report to Spaletto. Before joining Wolverine, he held leadership roles at Under Armour, the Gap, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
“Merrell is a very special brand with a rich heritage and an even more promising future,” Hufnagel said. “I’m excited to join the team as we work together to build amazing products, tell compelling stories, drive accelerated growth around the world, and continue helping everyone experience the power of the trail.”
