Tom Long to replace Blake Krueger as Wolverine Worldwide chairman

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. has announced that its chairman and retired CEO, Blake Krueger, will be retiring from the board on May 4, 2023. Tom Long, the board’s lead independent director, has been appointed to serve as chairman upon Krueger’s retirement.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Blake for his many years of dedication and service to the company and its shareholders. During his long tenure the company transformed from a traditional footwear wholesaler into a consumer-focused, global organisation with one of the world’s largest portfolios of footwear and lifestyle brands. I am honoured to succeed him as chairman as part of our planned leadership transition,” said Long.

The company also announced today the appointment of Stacia Andersen, Jodi Bricker, and DeMonty Price to its board of directors, effective as of March 14, 2023.

Wolverine Worldwide chairman Blake Krueger to retire in May

The company said in a statement that Krueger has been with Wolverine Worldwide for approximately 30 years, through a series of executive roles culminating in his appointment as CEO and board member in 2007, then as CEO and chairman of the board in 2010.

Commenting on Krueger’s retirement as board chairman, Brendan Hoffman, Wolverine Worldwide’s president and CEO, added: “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with and learn from Blake since I joined the company in August 2020. I look forward to building on the strong foundation he laid and working with the word-class team he assembled to elevate Wolverine Worldwide’s position as a global leader in the industry.”

Krueger retired as CEO at the end of 2021, and since then has continued to lead the company’s board of directors as executive chairman in 2022 and as chairman this year.

“It has been an absolute privilege and honour to have served Wolverine Worldwide for the past 30 years, and to have played a role in the company’s successful 140-year history. I am excited about the company’s future and know that under Brendan’s leadership and the strategic guidance of Tom and the board of directors, and with the efforts of our global team, Wolverine Worldwide and its shareholders are in great hands and well-positioned for continued growth and success,” added Krueger.

Long, the company added, joined Wolverine Worldwide’s board in 2011 after a 30-year career that included serving as CEO of MillerCoors, LLC, CEO and chief marketing officer of Miller Brewing Company, and in several senior global and marketing roles at Coca-Cola. He was appointed lead independent director of Wolverine Worldwide’s board in 2022, and previously served as chair of the compensation committee.

Wolverine Worldwide appoints new directors

Andersen, 52, the company further said, currently serves as the executive vice president and chief customer officer of PetSmart, LLC, a specialty retailer of products, services, and solutions for pets, and from 2019 through 2021 served as PetSmart’s executive vice president of merchandising and customer experience. Before that, Andersen was brand president of Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie kids at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Earlier in her career, she held various leadership and operational roles at Target Corporation.

Bricker, 55, is the chief executive officer of Quay Australia, a global eyewear brand that sells sunglasses and prescription eyewear, and has held that role since 2019. From 2016 to 2018, she served as the executive vice president of merchandising, inventory management, and ecommerce of Athleta, Inc., a subsidiary of Gap, Inc., and before that was with Old Navy as executive vice president and general manager among other leadership roles. Earlier in her career, Bricker held various leadership roles at Levi Strauss & Co.

Price, 61, recently retired after five years as the president and chief operating, service and values officer of RH, a curator of design, taste and style in the luxury lifestyle market, and before that held a series of progressively more responsible executive roles including senior vice president of Retail Galleries and Operations. Prior to joining RH in 2006, Price held various leadership roles with Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and Gap, Inc.

Finally, David McCreight, a director since 2019, has announced his resignation from the board of directors effective May 4, 2023, in order to devote his full time and attention to his role as executive chairman of Lulu’s Fashion Lounge Holdings, Inc.

“I would like to thank David for his years of service and invaluable insights, and we wish him well at Lulu’s,” said Hoffman, adding, “Looking ahead, Stacia, Jodi, and DeMonty each have more than 25 years of omnichannel retail, marketing, and brand-building experience in senior executive roles. We are excited to bring their individual and collective knowledge and insight into our boardroom as we continue to advance our growth strategy.”