GREENVILLE, SC (BRAIN)—Hincapie Sportswear has hired James Samuel as the company’s new general manager.
In addition to growing retail distribution, Samuel will work closely with the current management team to develop new business and expand Hincapie’s penetration into new and existing markets, according to a press release. He will oversee every aspect of the brand to help the company grow nationally and internationally.
“We are very pleased to welcome James Samuel to our Hincapie family,” said Rich Hincapie, president of Hincapie Sportswear. “We have experienced phenomenal growth over the last few years and we are ready to take our brand to the next level. James has a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help us develop the tools and processes we need to increase the scope of our wholesale business. He will help us optimize every aspect of our business from operations and product development to marketing and international distribution. We look forward to working with James to continue to expand our brand.”
Samuel has spent over 15 years developing and managing international brands in the cycling and outdoor sports markets. Most recently, he served as general manager of the Cloudveil brand for Spyder Active Sport, where he focused on global sales and brand management development. He will draw on his extensive experience with Cloudveil and cycling brands like Pearl Izumi and Sugoi to help Hincapie build the business, develop relationships and create new opportunities nationally and internationally. As a passionate multi-sport competitor and cyclist, Samuel has an intimate understanding of the activities, products and participants involved with cycling and triathlon. This personal consumer knowledge will complement his professional brand management experience to help Hincapie expand the brand around the world.
“I am so thrilled to join such a fantastic team of very talented people,” said James Samuel, Hincapie Sportswear general manager. “From the very first meeting with Rich and the crew, I felt the passion for the sport of cycling inside everyone. It’s part of their DNA, just like it is in me. The team’s full dedication and determination to building Hincapie Sportswear into a trend setting cycling apparel brand is inspirational, and it could not be a better fit for me. Hincapie has been successful at creating a strong custom and retail clothing brand with a solid foundation. I’m excited to leverage my experience to build on this foundation and help grow the business globally. I look forward to working with the team to develop the right tools and processes we need to take Hincapie to the next level.”
