Vasque Footwear, a family-owned company with more than 55 years of experience in the outdoor footwear sector, announced three new hires across its product, merchandising and sales departments. These investments in talent will usher in a new chapter of growth for the brand.
New additions to the Vasque brand include Brandon Gough (pictured) as North American Sales Manager, Jess Sandrin as Product Line Merchant and Scott Kendall as Footwear Designer.
“Brandon’s values, experience and vision for the brand align perfectly with our growth strategy in North America,” said Joel Lee, Global Sales Director at Vasque. “He exemplifies the Vasque way of doing business and we are honored to have him on our team.”
With 15 years of experience in the outdoor industry, Gough is a well-known and respected veteran in outdoor sales at companies like ExOfficio and most-recently Cascade Designs. In collaboration with Lee, Gough will launch new growth strategies, targeting ambitious goals in the United States and Canada.
“We’ve established a bold vision for the future of Vasque Footwear, one that will see growth in our core hike business as well as introduce our brand to new consumers in new categories,” said Bryce Wernsman, President at Vasque. “Expanding our talent across our product and sales teams represents one of the most important investments we have made to bring this vision to life. We are thrilled to have Scott, Jessica and Brandon join our team and are looking forward to seeing the long-term impact they will make on the Vasque brand.”
Sandrin comes to Vasque after her time at Red Wing Shoe Company and Michael Kors. As a Product Line Merchant at Vasque, she will own the product category strategy, selecting a core set of products that drive sales and growth while improving margins. Sandrin comes to Vasque with an understanding of opportunities around future customers and a passion for the outdoor industry
Kendall is a proven industry veteran, with more than 25 years of footwear design experience at brands such as New Balance, Wilson and Puma. Joining the Vasque team last year, Kendall already has shaken up the product line. He’s been tasked with modernizing the brand’s design language, driving a move towards more sustainable materials and creating product designs that appeal to both the traditional hiker and a new, more athletic and lifestyle-minded outdoor consumer.
For more information, visit vasque.com
