Sharon Gauding Joins Oboz Footwear as VP of Sales and Marketing
Sharon Gauding has joined Oboz Footwear as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Gauding was most recently employed as the men's footwear buyer for REI.
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Bozeman, Montana–Oboz Footwear announced today that it has hired Sharon Gauding to the newly created role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Gauding, who most recently was the men’s footwear buyer for the national retailer REI, began her new job with Oboz on August 4th at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Gauding will be responsible for the sales process and aligning Oboz’
marketing and product strategies to support the company’s accelerating
growth. Â She will also assist with key North American retail accounts.
‘I couldn¹t be happier,’ said Oboz President John Connelly.  ‘Sharon will
add tremendous value to our brand and the Oboz team. Â Very few people have
her depth of knowledge and experience. Â She totally understands footwear and
what buyers need to be successful.”
Connelly added, “I’ve been traveling about 140 days a year managing key
accounts, working with our sales reps, visiting as many customers I as can,
doing dozens and dozens of clinics as well as developing business in Asia
and South America. Â We’ve managed to grow quickly both domestically and
internationally with a small team. Â Adding Sharon will allow me to focus on
the big picture, and, longer term, our overarching brand strategy for Oboz’
continued growth.”
Gauding’s experience encompasses the full spectrum of retail management over
25 years. Â She was employed with REI since 2000, where she held Analyst,
Planning and Product Manager positions in several departments. Gauding’s
most recent role, from 2006 until March 2011, was managing men’s footwear,
where, under her leadership, she grew REI’s highest volume department by
over 47%. Prior to REI, Gauding worked with the Bon Marche and Dillard’s
department stores.
“I’m thrilled to be on board with such a talented team,” said Gauding. “I’m
looking forward to helping build the Oboz brand and working closely with
both product and our customers.”
Gauding will be based from her St. Petersburg, Florida home but will also
frequently work alongside the Oboz team in Bozeman, Montana, where the
company is headquartered.
About Oboz Footwear
Oboz (obozfootwear.com) creates ‘True to the Trail’ outdoor footwear inspired by the wild environs surrounding the company¹s Bozeman, Montana home. ‘The Oboz’ is a place for exploration, play and work, as well as a state of mind that has deep respect for the area’s rich natural heritage. Oboz shoes‹which debuted in stores in 2008‹are designed to have meaningful innovation, steadfast performance and recognizable quality. Oboz plants a tree for every pair of shoes it sells through Trees for the Future
(www.treesftf.org), an international aid organization that improves livelihoods in developing countries through beneficial tree planting.
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