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Stan Mavis
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist
02/09/06
Last week it was announced that Stan Mavis will become President of Sugoi Performance Apparel; a wholly owned subsidiary of Cannondale Bicycle Company.
| Mavis co-founded Pearl Izumi in the USA and held the titles of President and Chairman for 12 years. Most recently, he was the Sr. Vice President of Product for Brooks Sports, where he was responsible for design and product development for apparel, accessories and footwear. Cannondale said he is a pioneer in fabric and fiber design development that helps athletes achieve optimal performance. Mavis was also a world class runner at Michigan State and was part of the fabled Athletics West Track Club. He remains a runner and an avid cyclist. |
Stan Mavis |
Here's a capsule of an interview with Stan via email:
Can you give me a short history lesson on your running career?
I grew up in Indiana and started running when I was trotting home from the community basketball courts one summer night before my freshman year in high school. The head basketball/cross country coach pulled up beside me and asked, "Are you Mavis?" I stammered back, "y, y, yes." He said, "You are going out for cross country!" I ran the rest of the way home and asked my father what cross country was. I ended up the Indiana state cross country champ.
In 1973, I went to Michigan State on a running scholarship. Spartan great Herb Lindsay overshadowed me in the longer events. I garnered points in the mile (4:02.6) and made it to nationals several times. In East Lansing, running super stars, Cheryl and Steve Flanagan decided to open a running store, Frank Shorter Sports and hired Herb and I to work there.
My career in the sporting goods industry was born thanks to Frank and Steve. I ended up moving to Boulder, Colorado to manage the Frank Shorter stores. I also started running longer distances and set an American Record 1:02:16 1/2 Marathon in 1980.
How did you take up biking too?
I started riding in 1983 after I broke my ankle in a freak road race step into a pothole and was trying to maintain some fitness. I went to my first cycling race and won a state time trial by beating a bunch of national team members. It created a passion for cycling that I maintain to this day. A long run is fantastic, but on the right day, a quiet road with the right group of riders can't be beat.
What background put you in a position to co-found Pearl Izumi?
I progressed from store to the Frank Shorter Running Gear Company, where some of the first running clothing was born. I then joined Hind and we continued to pioneer the nylon Lycra tight and compression shorts into the market. I came across the Pearl Izumi brand, which was tiny in Japan and the USA. I hopped on a plane with Hugh Walton, cycling champ from Canada, and we came back with the Pearl Izumi name for the USA and eventually the world outside of Asia. Starting in 1988, we rapidly grew the Pearl Izumi brand into one of the most respected cycling brands in the world. Highlights had to be outfitting the successful 1996 Olympic Cycling Team and Lance Armstrong's first Tour de France win.
What role did you play in Brooks success?
I sold my interest in Pearl Izumi in 2000 and went back to the running industry. I became the SR VP of Product at Brooks Sports. We were fanatical about making sure that all of our products and our service model really connected with runners. We never compromised. I am really proud of the product we produced at Brooks in the last few years and I'm actually sorry not to be there while some great new technologies hit the stores. I am the most proud of helping fund the Hanson's Distance Running Project.
What paved the way for your transition to Sugoi? What do you want to achieve?
It was hard to leave all the great things at Brooks, but Sugoi really has its finger on the pulse of the market. We have an extremely progressive and unique global way of looking at the growing fusion of athletics and lifestyle. In particular, I like the way we can make incredibly comfortable, yet extremely functional products. At Sugoi, there is an amazing group of positive energy people who are so into the fitness lifestyle. It is a fun opportunity to pave the way and use the best of all my past experiences so that all these great ideas and people can shine.
Plus, the company is located in Vancouver BC Canada. It is perpetually rated as one of the top cities in the world in which to live. For example, in the greater Vancouver area, there are 27 different specialty running stores, all of whom are thriving. It shows the dedication to the fitness lifestyle.
Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St.
Detroit, 48226
or [email protected]
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