18 Aug Former Ugg President Lands at Vionic
Connie X Rishwain, former president of the Ugg brand at Deckers Outdoor Corp., has joined Vionic in a new role as president of its global business.
Rishwain will oversee product, marketing and sales at Vionic, and she also joins its board of directors. She will report directly to CEO Chris Gallagher, who will continue to lead the company’s vision and culture.
“Throughout her career Connie has delivered tremendous style to consumers and value to shareholders, and we look forward to the leadership she’ll now bring to fuel our next phase of growth,” Gallagher said. “She is a great fit with our culture and we’re thrilled to have her with us on the Vionic adventure.”
Rishwain spent more than 20 years at Ugg before departing in August 2015. During that time, she led Ugg’s growth “from a $10 million niche surf brand into a $1.5 billion global lifestyle brand,” officials said. Prior to that, she held other senior roles at Deckers’ Teva and Simple brands, Impo International and Nine West Group. Rishwain also sits on the board of K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations) – Fashion Delivers, and was recently elected to the Board of Regents of University of Pacific.
“I am excited to join Vionic and help build on the success they have achieved,” said Rishwain. “Vionic has a great culture which is a reflection of the founders and team, and this greatly influenced my decision to become part of the Vionic family.”
Since its U.S. introduction in 2008, Vionic Group focuses on the comfort category with casual, dress and athletic footwear. The company is privately held and headquartered in San Rafael, CA with offices in Hong Kong and the U.K.