Big Shoes to Fill

The Stride Rite Corp of Collective Brands Inc. (Topeka, Kan.) has named Gregg Ribatt president and ceo of its Lexington, Mass.-based subsidiary, The Stride Rite Corp.

Ribatt will start Jan. 7, 2008, overseeing the operation of 300 Stride Rite stores and developing its Stride Rite, Keds, Saucony and Sperry Top-Sider brands. He most recently served as president and ceo of Stuart Weitzman Holdings LLC (New York), the designer of women's shoes and handbags.

Ribatt replaces Rick Thornton, who has left the company. He will report to Collective Brands president and ceo Matt Rubel.

“Gregg Ribatt is a fourth-generation footwear industry expert with proven experience in driving strong business results from his strategic work developing and growing Bennett Footwear Group and its stable of brands such as Franco Sarto, Via Spiga, and Etienne Aigner, among others,” said Rubel.

At Stuart Weitzman, Ribatt oversaw the company's day-to-day operations, including the expansion of the company's retail, handbag and licensing businesses. Prior to joining Stuart Weitzman, Ribatt worked for Bennett Footwear Group LLC (Needham, Mass.), a subsidiary of Brown Shoe Co. Inc. (St. Louis). Prior to the company's sale to Brown Shoe in 2005, Ribatt was the executive vp and chief operating officer.

Collective Brands is the result of Payless ShoeSource buying rival Stride Rite this summer for about $800 million this summer and changing the corporate name.