Ponto Footwear Hires Wolverine Worldwide Exec as Brand President
Ponto Footwear has tapped Barry McGeough, an industry veteran, to serve as its brand president.
McGeough joins the California-based eco footwear label after serving in leadership roles at several footwear brands, including The North Face, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Most recently McGeough served as the global VP of product and digital innovation at Wolverine Worldwide, where he worked on sustainable and circular business solutions and helped accelerate the shift to digital.
“I am thrilled and honored to be part of a brand that not only prioritizes innovation in sustainable product development but also recognizes the importance of aligning with consumers’ expectations to make a positive impact,” said McGeough. “Building a brand that walks the walk and embraces sustainability as a core value that contributes to revenue generation, we can deliver benefits to shareholders, consumers, investors, and the planet.”
Founded in 2018 by two Silicon Valley veterans, Ponto Footwear creates work shoes from recycled and bio-based materials. The shoes feature sustainable bottoms made from a sugarcane based foam and uppers from recycled leather. The brand’s debut style, the Pacific, is a minimalist, unisex lace-up shoe that retails for $148 and is offered in several colorways.
Ponto also donates a portion of proceeds from each sale to causes that protect the oceans. The company also promotes circularity by offering consumers a $40 purchase credit for sending in their used pairs to a regional Soles4Souls distribution center.
Under McGeough, Ponto says it will expand its reach in direct-to-consumer as well as in its existing wholesale business, all while maintaining its sustainability-first mindset.