Red Wing names Curleigh as new leader for Vasque brand
Red Wing Shoe Co. is beefing up its executive team at Vasque, naming George Curleigh as its new vice president to lead the outdoor footwear brand.
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Red Wing Shoe Co. is beefing up its executive team at Vasque, naming George Curleigh as its new vice president to lead the outdoor footwear brand.
Curleigh, who previously served as vice president, sales at Arc’teryx and also as managing director of Salomon UK, will be responsible for the overall performance of the Vasque brand.
“Retailers can expect a renewed focus and dedication that will make certain Vasque is one of the top performing footwear brands in their shops,” Curleigh said.
Red Wing officials told SNEWS they decided to create a dedicated leader position at Vasque to further company’s commitment and allocate more resources to the brand. Previously the position was shared among multiple brands under Red Wing.
“I am personally looking forward to George being part of our executive management team and contributing to our entire company,” Red Wing President Dave Murphy said. “Of course, most importantly will be George’s leadership of Vasque, our iconic outdoor footwear brand. George’s deep outdoor industry experience and proven leadership skills will be a wonderful complement to the brand and our Vasque team.”
Curleigh and his family will continue to live in Vancouver, Canada for the time being, but he will spend a lot of time at the company’s headquarters in Red Wing, Minn., and traveling to meet customers as he gets up to speed on the Vasque business.
Curleigh had been with Arc’teryx for the last seven years and before that was with Salomon since 1996. He said he was attracted to Vasque for its nearly 50-year heritage in the outdoor industry and the people behind the company.
We asked Curleigh if he already had any favorite Vasque products, and he gave us a peek to 2013.
“I was given a sneak preview of next seasons Breeze hiking boot and it oozes the Vasque DNA, it really captures the heritage of the brand at the same time delivering a product that will stand out on the shelf,” Curleigh said. “The development team did a fantastic job on this project.”
–David Clucas
