PrimaLoft names Anne Cavassa as president

PrimaLoft, a U.S. company specialised in insulating fabrics for the apparel sector, has appointed as president Anne Cavassa, who has formerly worked for Saucony, Nike and Timberland.

PrimaLoft’s CEO Mike Joyce will remain in charge of the company’s long-term business strategy, while Cavassa will oversee day-to-day operations.

Cavassa spent five years as president at U.S. footwear specialist Saucony, after a stint as vice-president in charge of apparel and later of customer experience at the Brooks Sports group. Previously, she had been head of marketing at Timberland, which she had joined after working at Nike, Rebook and Eddie Bauer.

“Our company purpose is to balance the intersection of people, products, and the planet,” said Joyce. “Anne embodies these beliefs and brings extensive leadership experience from renowned active lifestyle brands. This is an ideal opportunity to bring in a proven leader to help bring PrimaLoft forward to the next level and, for me, she was the only choice,” he added.

In spring, PrimaLoft announced the market launch of a new generation of insulating material, with Helly Hansen and Isbjörn of Sweden as its first clients. The material is called PrimaLoft Ocean Bound Plastic and, as its name suggests, it is derived from plastic waste collected near coastlines.

PrimaLoft changed ownership last year. The forty-year-old company was acquired by U.S. group Compass Diversified, also known as Codi. In fiscal 2022, Codi reported net sales worth $2.3 billion, up 6%. In the same year, PrimaLoft instead suffered losses for $17.7 million.