Wolverine World Wide Elects New CEO

The Wolverine World Wide Inc. Board of Directors elected Timothy J. O'Donovan, president and chief operating officer, to the additional position of chief executive officer. O'Donovan succeeds former CEO Geoffrey B. Bloom, who was reelected chairman of the board.

O'Donovan has held a series of increasingly responsible marketing, sales and management positions since joining Wolverine in 1969. As group vice president of the Wolverine footwear business from 1987 to 1992, O'Donovan spearheaded the revitalization that elevated the brand to a top rank in the U.S. work boot market. He also initiated the global repositioning of the Hush Puppies brand while serving as Hush Puppies Co. president from 1992 to 1996. He was elected president of Wolverine World Wide in 1996 and added the COO title in 1997. He has served as a director of the company since 1993.

"Tim is the perfect choice to lead the management team to meet the goals of the three-year growth plan that kicked off January 1, 2000," said Bloom. "Thirty years with Wolverine World Wide give him a first-hand knowledge of virtually every segment of our global footwear business and personal relationships with every major customer."

Bloom will focus and integrate new growth initiatives Company's three-year strategic growth plan. These initiatives could include additional footwear licensing agreements and new business acquisitions.

Under Bloom's leadership, Wolverine World Wide increased global footwear sales from approximately 18 million pairs in 1992 to 37 million pairs in 1999. During the same period, his drive to build Wolverine World Wide into a great global company expanded international distribution of the Company's brands from 50 countries to 135 nations.

Edited by Anndrea Vorobej