Payless ShoeSource Inc. (Topeka, Kansas) has elected Matthew Rubel president and ceo, effective today. Rubel was also elected to the company’s board of directors.
Howard Fricke was elected chairman of the board, consistent with the company’s previously announced decision to name a non-executive chairman when Steven Douglass announced his resignation as chairman and ceo at the end of May.
Rubel was chairman and ceo of Cole Haan (New York), the wholly owned subsidiary of Nike Inc. (Beaverton, Ore.) from February 1999 to July 2005. Prior to joining Cole Haan, Rubel was executive vp of the J. Crew Group (New York), where he was responsible for all licensing and international activities as well as brand marketing. He has also served as President and ceo of Pepe Jeans USA (the Commerce, Calif.-based division of Pepe Jeans London Ltd.) and president of the specialty division of Revlon Inc. (New York).
Fricke was formerly chairman of the Security Benefit Group of Cos. (Topeka) and was Secretary of Commerce for the State of Kansas since September 2004. He has been on the Payless board since 1996 and has served as lead director since 2002.