SCENE & HEARD
Industry Veteran Greg Tunney to Lead Manitobah Mukluks product at Timberland as Chief Product Officer, and Aaron Carpenter, IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY he couldn’t pass up. Greg Tunney, most former Chief Marketing Officer of The North Face, who will serve in recently global president of Wolverine Worldwide, is now CEO of the same capacity. Manitobah Mukluks, which is under a new ownership agreement Then there’s the financial muscle brought by Endeavour. The firm between the Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Seattle-based investment has a track record of being the first outside investor in privately held firm Endeavour Capital. companies, providing capital and support to existing management teams Tunney, who had spent the past 18 months working with numerous so they can achieve their full visions. “We are the first one in their latest private equity firms advising on potential footwear acquisitions, was round of funding, and they want to invest in other footwear companies open to “one last rodeo,” but there were a handful of requirements that in this round,” Tunney says. Adds Bradaigh Wagner, a managing director had to be met first. 1. Work with good people. 2. Partner with a private at Endeavour: “Manitobah Mukluks is an exceptional equity firm willing to invest in the business and not company doing exceptional work. We’re honored to “leverage the hell out of it.” 3. Sales, marketing and partner with Sean, Montreal Lake Cree Nation and product headquarters based near home in Park City, the entire team at Manitobah Mukluks to help them UT. 4. Manage a brand with a strong social impact navigate the growth of their brand and the preservapurpose. The Manitobah Mukluks opportunity tion of their important social mission.” ticked all the boxes. Since 1997, Manitobah Mukluks has grown from “Very few brands have a real purpose; the majority a single store in Manitoba, Canada to a global brand are in business to make transactions,” Tunney says. sold in more than 50 countries. Its luxury shearling “Manitobah Mukluks has a real brand purpose that footwear (average SRPs are $200-plus) combines makes a social impact in the lives of Indigenous traditional and modern design with technological communities each and every day.” innovations. Many of the styles are rooted from the Founded in 1997 by Sean McCormick (now Chief past 10,000 years of inspiration from the Indigenous Impact Officer and a member of the company’s Board communities, but Tunney also credits the team for of Directors), Manitobah Mukluks is known for the doing a “wonderful job” interpreting the past with social impact it provides through numerous commodern styling that’s relevant, commercial and munity programs, including its Storyboots School, authentic. which teaches traditional mukluk- and moccasinAlong those lines, Tunney says the Manitobah making skills. The company also prides itself on Mukluks target customer is men and women, around Indigenous employment and vendors, in addition 40 years of age, outdoor-inspired and desire authentic to its partnerships with Indigenous artists. “The brands with purpose. As to where those customers fact that the brand was created by the Indigenous will be able to shop the brand, distribution will be community and over 50 percent of the employees very focused to start: Dillard’s, Farfetch, Neiman are Indigenous, including many artisans and craftsMarcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Zappos. man who bring authenticity to the product every The reason for the select distribution, Tunney says, day, is inspiring,” Tunney says, noting that having is mainly due to current manufacturing capacities grown up in Arizona, home to some of the largest and the need to find additional factory partners for Native American communities, he learned early on the new collections. “Even if we wanted to open to respect those communities. “I’m excited to be able 1,000 independents out of the gate, we don’t have to give back. I also love the premium products that the production capacity to do so right now,” he Manitobah Mukluks creates,” he adds. says, noting Manitobah Mukluks owns its factories Speaking of which, Tunney says the immediate in Vietnam. “As we get more production opened focus for 2022 will be on new product creation. Canada cool by Manitobah Mukluks; up and can guarantee deliveries, we’ll open more “We’ve brought in a best-in-class product team new CEO Greg Tunney. accounts. Besides, the worst thing you can do is that will be launching three major new categories: promise somebody delivery and then don’t deliver.” Modern Mukluks (athletic-inspired bottoms with traditional moc toe In the meantime, Tunney is brimming with great expectations for uppers), Mountain Mukluks (functional hiker fashion looks) and an Manitobah Mukluks—an excitement generated by new ownership, new outdoor-inspired slippers,” he says. “We’ll create more new products this investment and new offices in downtown Park City that, when completed, year than the company has in the past 10 years combined.” Helping in will feature a flagship store. What’s not to love? “I’m doing what I love, this effort is newly appointed board member, Connie Rishwain, former which is my passion for the footwear industry,” he says. “I’m working president of Ugg. “Connie brings a lot of expertise and experience to the with really good people in a purpose-driven brand that keeps giving premium shearling business. I don’t believe anyone else in the world back to the community. It’s such an amazing story that when people has the track record and knowledge that she does,” Tunney says, adding learn about it, they really desire to be part of this brand.” that other key team members include Kenny Beaulieu, former head of
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