Doug Kelly Joins Russell Athletic as President

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    ATLANTA, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Doug Kelly has been named president
 of Russell Athletic. He will be responsible for Russell's retail, team
 sports, college bookstore and licensed products businesses, as well as the
 Bike and Discus Athletic Brands. Kelly has extensive experience managing
 sports related consumer product companies for over 26 years.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060925/CLM063 )
     "We are extremely pleased to have someone with Doug's knowledge and
 experience moving into this very important role," said John Holland,
 chairman and CEO of Russell Corporation as well as president and CEO of
 Fruit of the Loom. "We know he will lead the Russell Athletic group to the
 next level."
     "This is a tremendous opportunity for me to lead one of America's most
 established sporting goods brand," said Kelly. "I am looking forward to
 growing and expanding the Russell brand and product."
     "Russell Athletic, being a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of
 companies, understands brand investing and I look forward to managing one
 of its portfolio brands."
     Kelly began his career in 1974 with Converse, Inc. and then in 1980
 moved to Curley-Bates Co., the organization that exclusively marked and
 distributed Mizuno and Easton sport brands throughout North America. In
 1986, he was named president and CEO of Easton Sports, Inc. when Easton
 Inc. purchased Curley-Bates. From 1994 until 2000, Kelly was president and
 chief operating officer of Pro Player Sports Apparel. Over the past six
 years, he has served as president and CEO of Imperial Home Decor Group,
 Inc., Unibic North America Inc.
     Kelly has also served on the Boards of Schutt Sports, Hoyt Bow Company,
 and Easton Sports, Inc. He is a past Board member with the Sporting Goods
 Manufacturers Association and the World Federation of Sporting Goods.
     A graduate of Villanova University with a B.A. in economics, Kelly has
 also studied in the executive programs at Stanford University graduate
 School of Business and the UCLA Graduate School of Business.
 
 

SOURCE Russell Athletic