New Era Announces Key Leadership Appointments to Strengthen Operations and Power Future Growth

Veteran Sports Business Executive Bruce Popko Appointed as President at New Era
Long-serving New Era Leader Lorenz Gan Appointed as Chief Operating Officer at New Era 
Company Poised for Next Phase of Growth Following Successful Integration of '47 Brand

BUFFALO, N.Y., April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New Era Cap, LLC ("New Era" or the "Company") today announced new additions to its senior leadership team to drive the next chapter of its growth strategy, following the successful integration of '47 Brand.

Bruce Popko, SVP Global Licensing & Business Development at New Era, has been appointed President, while Lorenz Gan, Chief Digital & Information Officer at New Era, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. Both are seasoned executives with strong track records of success in sports, headwear, and apparel, and they will play key roles in advancing the company's strategic priorities. Additionally, Dave Heimburg, VP of Global Quality at New Era, has been appointed VP of Global Supply Chain and Jennifer Lawrence, Senior Director of IT at New Era, has been appointed VP of IT.

President Jim Patterson, General Manager of North America Steve Gallo, and Vice President of Global Supply Chain Josh Creasman will depart the company effective April 27, 2026.

"The appointments being announced today include a group of leaders at New Era who have clearly proven that they have the experience and skills to operate at the highest level as we look to build on our global market leadership position. With '47 now fully integrated into our global business, I look forward to strategizing with this new team and finding innovative ways to embrace our heritage and deliver for our partners, employees, customers, and investors," said Chris Koch, CEO at New Era. "We thank Jim, Steve, and Josh for their contributions to New Era and wish them well in their next chapters."

New Era enters this next stage with strong momentum, a clear strategy, and an experienced leadership team. Following the successful integration of '47 and continued growth across its core businesses – having achieved $2 billion in annual revenue within the last year – the company is well-positioned to scale its global brand, accelerate e-commerce, further leverage digital capabilities, and expand its apparel platform with investments to drive product innovation.

Popko currently leads New Era's development of new league and team licenses. He has been instrumental in working on the strategic integration with '47 and in expanding key relationships, including with college athletics, adidas, and numerous F1 teams. Prior to joining New Era, he held senior leadership roles across operations, finance, and business development, including serving as CEO of Major League Pickleball, Senior Vice President at IMG (now WME Group, LLC.), and in executive positions with NFL teams such as the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets.

Gan currently leads New Era's enterprise technology and digital strategy. He has played a key role in the accelerated early-stage growth of New Era's e-commerce platform and helped facilitate the company's evolution into a globally recognized brand. Under Gan's leadership, New Era has significantly increased its speed to market across the entire business through the development of a unified product creation platform. As Chief Operating Officer, Gan will lead global operations, including supply chain and information technology, and will help lead the execution of the company's strategic priorities. Prior to joining New Era, Gan led information technology initiatives at Burberry and spent time at both its New York and London headquarters.

Heimburg has been with New Era for more than 30 years. During this tenure, he has worked across key functions including manufacturing, customer service, and supply chain management. As VP of Global Supply Chain, Heimburg will lead New Era's global supply chain operations, with responsibility for driving efficiency, optimizing sourcing and distribution, and supporting the company's continued growth.

Lawrence has been with New Era for nearly a decade. As VP of IT, she will lead New Era's information technology organization, with responsibility for advancing digital capabilities, strengthening systems infrastructure, and enhancing performance, scalability, and reliability across the business.

ABOUT NEW ERA: Since 1920, New Era has been handcrafting the finest headwear in the world. Today, with an expansive portfolio of global licenses, the addition of apparel and accessories lines, and a 1,000+ worldwide retail store network, the brand is a market leader rooted in sports and an influencer of street and lifestyle culture around the world. Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, New Era products are sold in more than 125 countries. For more information on New Era's global offices and partnerships, visit www.neweracap.com and social channels @neweracap. 

SOURCE New Era Cap LLC