Dansko Promotes Kitty Bolinger to President as CEO Jim Fox Shifts Over to New Role

Dansko has made two new leadership changes at the top.

The footwear brand, headquartered in West Grove, Pa., announced on Wednesday that Kitty Bolinger has been promoted to president, effective Sept. 5. At that time, Dansko CEO Jim Fox will also transition to the newly established position of executive chairman.

Fox assumed the chief executive role in 2019, taking over from co-founder Mandy Cabot when she retired. He first joined the company as CFO in 2006 and was instrumental in Dansko’s move in 2012 to become 100 percent employee owned.

Cabot, who remains a board director, said in a statement, “Jim’s was the steady, guiding hand that led us through both the transition to employee ownership and the uncertainty of the pandemic. We are immensely grateful to Jim for his leadership, his unwavering moral compass and his continuing commitment to Dansko.”

Bolinger has been a member of the Dansko team since 2010, most recently serving as EVP of sales and marketing. According to the company, her ability to nurture new relationships and reinforce established ones has been a contributor to the brand’s success in recent years.

“Kitty’s exceptional leadership of our sales and marketing teams, her extensive industry relationships and her passion for the Dansko brand make her the ideal president to lead Dansko into the future,” said Fox in a statement.

Cabot noted that Bolinger’s promotion is a reflection of the brand’s longtime commitment to its employees. “Developing successive generations of leadership has always been a high priority at Dansko,” she said.

Bolinger brings more than 36 years of industry experience to her new leadership position, having also worked at major brands such as Vionic, Geox and Timberland. Notably, she will be supported by a majority-female executive team that includes CFO Jamey Mullin, VP of design Kelsey Jayne-Gomez, VP of marketing Christina Sewell and VP of sourcing Susan Li.

“I am extremely grateful to the board for their trust in me and for the opportunity to move into this role,” Bolinger said in a statement. “Our leadership team is composed of incredibly talented women who bring a myriad of experience to Dansko and are dedicated to advancing Dansko’s position as a leader in premium comfort footwear.”