Diane Sullivan, president and coo of Stride Rite Shoes (Lexington, Mass.), has announced her resignation effective May 31. She joined the shoe marketer six years ago and assumed her current position in July 1999.
Sullivan said she wanted “some time off to explore other business opportunities.” The Stride Rite Corp. has yet to decide if it will replace Sullivan.
Stride Rite is the leading brand in children's footwear in the United States. It sells its brands – including Grasshoppers, Keds, Pro-Keds, Munchkin, Sperry Top-Sider and Stride Rite – in retail outlets throughout the country, including 120 stores of its own, nearly 50 leased departments and about 35 Stride Rite Family Footwear outlets. It also has a licensing relationship with Tommy Hilfiger. Just a few weeks ago, Stride Rite announced that The Beanstalk Group, a full-service consulting firm, would develop and implement programs for licensing its brand in a variety of categories.