Industry Moves: Former Finish Line Chief Sam Sato Takes CEO Reins at Duluth Trading

Who’s in, who’s out, who’s been promoted and hired — FN covers all the industry changes in one place. Know of an executive on the move? Tell us at web@footwearnews.com. April 27, 2021: Samuel Sato, former head of Finish Line, is set to become president and CEO of Duluth Holdings Inc. on May 3. Sato will succeed founder Steve Schlecht, who has guided the company since 2019. “As the former CEO of publicly traded Finish Line before its merger with JD Sports, Sam has the demonstrated leadership, breadth of business experience and the core values we believe are critical to lead our brand into the future,” said Schlecht in a statement. “He has a track record of rolling up his sleeves and providing hands-on leadership—a quality that comes from a career dedicated to a team-first and customer-first mentality.” Sato began his career at Nordstrom, growing from a store sales associate to VP of corporate merchandising at the Seattle-based department store. April 26, 2021: Kenzo creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista is stepping down. The contract between the label and the designer, who held the post for two years, will expire at the end of June. In a statement, he said, “I have been

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