Dive Brief:
- Vuori appointed four leaders to its C-suite as the Southern California activewear brand continues to expand its international presence, according to a Tuesday news release.
- Hugh Garrity, a former Yeti executive, will serve as the company’s chief operating officer. Libby Stockstill, who comes from Vans, will be the brand’s first general counsel and corporate secretary. Jen Frisch, who most recently worked on Starbucks’ executive team, will become Vuori’s chief people officer. And Bryan Muehlberger will become the chief information officer after serving in a similar role at The Beachbody Company.
- The executives will be responsible for carrying out Vuori’s top priorities, including improving sourcing, establishing a legal department, shaping human resources strategy and creating platforms to help develop and track products.
Dive Insight:
Since Vuori CEO Joe Kudla launched the company in 2015 to focus on men’s athletic apparel, the lifestyle brand has been on a meteoric rise, achieving profitability only two years after it debuted. In 2021, Vuori raised $400 million from SoftBank, a funding round that valued the company at roughly $4 billion.
Since then, Vuori has been focused on expanding both within the U.S. and internationally. In October 2022, the company opened its 25th retail store, in New York, with plans to open around 100 locations over the next five years. The brand also launched a tennis line for women this past summer through its direct-to-consumer channels.
The new executives will help shepherd the company through its growth, according to the announcement.
Garrity, the chief operating officer, will be charged with improving Vuori’s sourcing, fulfillment and logistics. He will also be tasked with launching environmental, social and governance initiatives. He previously led Yeti’s global operations through the pandemic.
Vuori’s first general counsel, Stockstill, will build the company’s internal legal department from the ground up, according to the release. She previously served in a similar role at Vans, where she helped steer the brand through periods of growth and digital transformation.
Frisch, Vuori’s chief people officer, will be tasked with “significant hiring initiatives” across the company’s headquarters and retail stores. Stockstill previously led human resources for more than 220,000 North American Starbucks employees.
The brand’s first chief information officer, Muehlberger, will preside over the company’s digital commerce channels and technology in its retail stores. He will also launch platforms, including those to help manage the company’s day-to-day operations.
