VANCOUVER, B.C. (BRAIN)—Stan Mavis, president of Sugoi since early 2006, is no longer with the company, according to Rick Leckner, spokesman for Dorel Industries, Sugoi's parent company.
Mavis' last day with the company was late last week, Leckner said, and Chris Fuentes has been named as his replacement. Fuentes has 30 years' experience in sales and marketing in the lifestyle apparel sector, working for companies like the VF Corporation.
"Stan did a great job. We'll miss him. Things changed, we're consolidating certain things and we needed someone to take that group forward to a higher level," Leckner said.
With his strong background in sports marketing, branding and communication, Fuentes is "exactly the kind of person we were looking for," Leckner said.
"It was time for a change," he added. "Dorel is building the bike segment into a global force. We're really in full steam ahead mode to build the bike division into a global force. When we announced the Five Centers of Excellence that came with a lot of plans including ramping up Sugoi."
In April, Dorel Industries announced that it would create Five Centers of Excellence within its bicycle division, with the lifestyle and urban apparel and footwear business being based out of Sugoi in Vancouver, B.C. Sugoi is slated to begin manufacturing apparel for all the Cycling Sports Group brands.
Leckner characterized the leadership change as positive for Sugoi, and said that the company would be undergoing improvements in the future as Dorel positions the apparel division for growth.
Mavis joined Sugoi in early 2006, shortly after Pegasus Partners bought the Canadian apparel company from its founders, David Hollands and Carol Prantner.
Dorel Industries purchased Sugoi with Cannondale in February 2008.
Mavis has a long history in both the apparel and footwear industries, having helped to launch Pearl Izumi in the U.S. in 1988. He also held leadership positions at Asics and Brooks. During his tenure, Sugoi's annual revenue grew from about the mid $20 million range to around high $30 million, he told BRAIN during an interview in August.
Sugoi saw 8 percent growth in the first quarter of 2009, and 9 percent growth in the second quarter.
—Nicole Formosa
