Bare Sportswear Corp and the FitzWright Group of Companies announce new leadership
Mr. Geoff Power, recently hired as General Manager - North America, has been appointed President of the FitzWright Group of Companies, effective March 31. Mr. Power succeeds Gerry May, who today announced his retirement after 15 years at the helm of the Company.
Through his time in various senior management positions, Geoff has a proven track record of achievement in company start-ups and financing, corporate leadership and governance, operational turnarounds and team building. Most recently, Geoff spent some 11 years as the CEO of Option/NFA, a manufacturer and distributor of brand name snowboards, skis and seasonal clothing for markets across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Under his direction, Option/NFA increased sales 17 fold and achieved compounded annual revenue growth of 35% in an increasingly competitive market.
Geoff brings fresh energy, enthusiasm and a team building management style to FitzWright, with a mission to build BARE into an even larger global suit business.
FitzWright President Gerry May - who has been at the head of the FitzWright Group of Companies for the past fifteen years - will step down on March 30 as President, and announced today his intention to retire effective June 30, 2007.
Gerry has led the Company through a period of turbulent change and growth. After initially turning around a struggling operation in the years 1992-1995, he successfully guided the company's transition from an OEM manufacturing organization - at one point the largest wetsuit producer in North America - to a business focused on building its own brand, BARE. He was the driving force behind moving BARE into the scuba diving market, which became the platform for development of the brand into a global player. He was instrumental in the creation of the FitzWright Europe operation in Malta, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary later this year, and more recently, in establishing a dedicated contract production unit in Thailand.
Gerry joined FitzWright in February 1989, in a marketing and sales capacity, became executive vice president in 1992, and has been President since January 1993.
"These have been extremely rewarding years - a challenging and very stimulating chapter of my life", Gerry commented recently. "The people whom I have had the opportunity to meet and work with - customers, suppliers and, above all, the members of our great team in both North America and Europe have made these years a rich experience. But the time has come for me to hand the reins over, and to allow the Company to move forward under new leadership. It's also time, I might add, for my family to have me around a bit more."
I want to thank Gerry for all his contributions in developing BARE as a global suit brand, and wish Geoff the best of success in taking the FitzWright business to the next level.
Juha Pinomaa
President
Suunto Oy
Chairman of Board
FitzWright Group of Companies
Mr. Geoff Power, recently hired as General Manager - North America, has been appointed President of the FitzWright Group of Companies, effective March 31. Mr. Power succeeds Gerry May, who today announced his retirement after 15 years at the helm of the Company.
Through his time in various senior management positions, Geoff has a proven track record of achievement in company start-ups and financing, corporate leadership and governance, operational turnarounds and team building. Most recently, Geoff spent some 11 years as the CEO of Option/NFA, a manufacturer and distributor of brand name snowboards, skis and seasonal clothing for markets across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Under his direction, Option/NFA increased sales 17 fold and achieved compounded annual revenue growth of 35% in an increasingly competitive market.
Geoff brings fresh energy, enthusiasm and a team building management style to FitzWright, with a mission to build BARE into an even larger global suit business.
FitzWright President Gerry May - who has been at the head of the FitzWright Group of Companies for the past fifteen years - will step down on March 30 as President, and announced today his intention to retire effective June 30, 2007.
Gerry has led the Company through a period of turbulent change and growth. After initially turning around a struggling operation in the years 1992-1995, he successfully guided the company's transition from an OEM manufacturing organization - at one point the largest wetsuit producer in North America - to a business focused on building its own brand, BARE. He was the driving force behind moving BARE into the scuba diving market, which became the platform for development of the brand into a global player. He was instrumental in the creation of the FitzWright Europe operation in Malta, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary later this year, and more recently, in establishing a dedicated contract production unit in Thailand.
Gerry joined FitzWright in February 1989, in a marketing and sales capacity, became executive vice president in 1992, and has been President since January 1993.
"These have been extremely rewarding years - a challenging and very stimulating chapter of my life", Gerry commented recently. "The people whom I have had the opportunity to meet and work with - customers, suppliers and, above all, the members of our great team in both North America and Europe have made these years a rich experience. But the time has come for me to hand the reins over, and to allow the Company to move forward under new leadership. It's also time, I might add, for my family to have me around a bit more."
I want to thank Gerry for all his contributions in developing BARE as a global suit brand, and wish Geoff the best of success in taking the FitzWright business to the next level.
Juha Pinomaa
President
Suunto Oy
Chairman of Board
FitzWright Group of Companies
