EXCLUSIVE: Eddie Bauer Names Tim Bantle CEO
Eddie Bauer has a new leader.
Parent company SPARC Group, operator of Eddie Bauer in the U.S., tapped outdoor veteran Tim Bantle to head up the brand as chief executive officer.
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Bantle is taking over the reins at Eddie Bauer from Damien Huang, who left the brand after 12 years in May. He will be based in Seattle, Washington, and is charged with charting the next phase of Eddie Bauer’s growth.
To meet that challenge, he will rely on his more than 20 years of experience at outdoor companies, most recently at VF Canada, where he was general manager and led the firm’s local outdoor and action sports platform.
Before that, he held leaderships posts at VF Corp.-owned The North Face as well as Black Diamond Equipment and Patagonia, all of which have long records on sustainability. At The North Face, Bantle guided the acceleration of the brand’s sustainability efforts, focusing on circularity by adding recycled and regenerative textiles.
“I admire Eddie Bauer for its unwavering commitment to making the outdoors accessible to all through excellent product and authentic storytelling,” Bantle said. “The team has done an incredible job driving global momentum for Eddie Bauer, and I am looking forward to working closely with them to introduce new audiences to the brand and broader outdoor lifestyle. Eddie Bauer has distinctive origins in the Pacific Northwest, and I am passionate about finding new ways to parlay elements of its unique and rich heritage into outdoor culture far and wide.”
Bantle will report to SPARC CEO Marc Miller, who described him as a “proven industry leader and an outdoor brand champion.”
“He brings a unique understanding of the outdoor consumer paired with deep technical knowledge that translates into commercial success,” Miller said.
SPARC supports $12.7 billion in annual retail sales with a portfolio of brands that also includes Reebok, Brooks Brothers, Nautica, Aéropostale, Forever 21 and Lucky Brand.
