13 Apr Saucony Appoints SVP of Footwear
Saucony appointed Thomas Hartge senior vice president of global footwear, where he succeeds Patrick O’Malley, who was recently appointed to President of Saucony.
In his new role, Hartge, who will report directly to O’Malley, will be responsible for creating and executing Saucony’s global brand footwear creation and marketing strategy, including design, development and product engineering.
Hartge brings over 30 years of experience in performance running footwear, the majority of which was spent at Nike where he worked in a variety of senior product and global management roles, including global brand director for Nike Running and creative director of advanced initiatives. Most recently, Hartge was executive vice president of global footwear at Quicksilver, Inc., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of surfwear and other boardsport-related equipment.
“Tom personifies Saucony’s relentless commitment to elevate the running experience through performance innovation,” said O’Malley. “As the brand continues to outpace market growth, it’s critical that we have someone who embraces this philosophy; ultimately, it’s at the heart of everything we do. Tom’s proven track record of success, industry credibility and passion for product innovation position him perfectly to accelerate our growth in the competitive global running market. His leadership and passion for running are great cultural fits for us, and we look forward to the positive impact he will bring to our brand and team as we continue to inspire runners everywhere.”
Saucony is owned by Wolverine World Wide Inc.
“I’m excited to be part of the Saucony team for so many reasons, most of all to work with a group of passionate people who love nothing more than empowering runners with extraordinary product,” said Hartge. “The brand has created a very strong culture of innovation based on one important question: What is better for the runner? I look forward to working with the team to answer that question every day, not only to contribute to the brand’s continued success but to deliver the most inspired running experience possible.”
Hartge has a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College. He will be running his 31st Boston Marathon on April 18th.
Saucony has been repeatedly recognized by Runner’s World for its exceptionally innovative and industry-leading products that focus on every aspect of the runner’s stride, including these most recent “Editor’s Choice” awards from the publication’s editors:
Peregrine 6 – 2016 Spring Trail Shoe Guide
Hurricane ISO 2 – 2016 Spring Shoe Guide
Triumph ISO 2 − 2015 Winter Shoe Guide