Wolverine World Wide, Inc., one of the world’s leading designers, marketers, and licensors of footwear and apparel, has announced the appointment of Justin Cupps as President of its Work Group. In this key leadership role, he will oversee Wolverine, Bates, CAT Footwear, Harley-Davidson Footwear, HyTest, and Merrell Work; he will report directly to Chris Hufnagel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wolverine Worldwide, and join the Company’s Executive Team.
“Justin is a proven leader with deep experience and expertise in brand building, go-to-market commercial strategies, and driving growth,” said Hufnagel. “His entrepreneurial spirit and team-first approach make him an ideal fit to lead the Work Group today as we drive to build awesome products and tell amazing stories – focused squarely on our consumer and ultimately delivering value to our shareholders.”
Cupps joins Wolverine Worldwide with nearly 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation across global consumer brands such as Under Armour, adidas, GANT and AND 1. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of North America Sport Performance Brands at EssilorLuxottica, where he led a $1.25 billion portfolio anchored by Oakley and Costa del Mar.
“Wolverine Worldwide is at an inflection point, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team,” said Cupps. “The Work Group brands possess tremendous heritage and authenticity, and at the same time are leaders in the industry today. I believe there’s tremendous opportunity and potential for these iconic brands and I’m energized by the journey ahead, including the chance to shape their great future while helping write the next amazing chapter for the Company.”
