| Matthew E. Rubel | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 29, 1957 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation | Former Chairman, President, and CEO of Collective Brands, Inc. |
Matthew E. Rubel (born November 29, 1957) is an American entrepreneur and former Chairman, CEO and President of Collective Brands, Inc.. Collective Brands is the parent company for Payless ShoeSource, a footwear, accessory and lifestyle brand company. Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyles Group (formerly The Stride Rite Corporation), and Collective Licensing International. In June 2011, Rubel announced his resignation from Collective Brands, Inc. after five years of services since 2005.
Rubel joined Payless ShoeSource in June 2005.[1] As CEO and President of Payless, Rubel leveraged the diverse talents of the Payless team to create an inspiring, customer-centric organization with a new position as a specialty retailer dedicated to democratizing fashion in footwear and accessories.
In July 2007, Rubel led the acquisition of The Stride Rite Corporation and the formation of Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS),[2] the parent company of Payless ShoeSource, Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group and Collective Licensing International. Under Rubel's leadership, Collective Brands has evolved into a dynamic and diverse global enterprise, with a strong portolio of iconic brands reaching consumers around the world through wholesale, retail, e-commerce, licensing and franchising channels. Rubel has built a dynamic team of leaders throughout the Collective Brands organization, and collaboratively they have expanded the global footprint of Payless and Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group brands including Stride Rite, Keds, Sperry Top-Sider and Saucony, among others, to more than 81 countries worldwide.
In December 2007, Footwear News named Rubel their 2007 "Person of the Year,"[3] in recognition of his leadership in forming Collective Brands and establishing the company’s vision of creating the pre-eminent, consumer-centric, global footwear, accessories and lifestyle brand company, reaching customers through multiple price points and selling channels.[4] Rubel received the M.B. Zale Visionary Merchant Award from Texas A&M in April, 2008.[5]
Under Rubel’s leadership, Payless has received several prestigious honors for the repositioning of Payless. In December 2006, Payless was named Marketer of the Year by Footwear News.[6] In March 2007, Payless received a special award for “Brand Reinvention” from Chain Store Age magazine.[7] In May 2007, Payless was named 2007 Retailer of the Year by The American Apparel & Footwear Association. In March 2008, Fast Company named Payless among their Fast 50 list of companies on the move.
From 1999 to 2005, Rubel was Chairman, President and CEO of Cole Haan, a leading marketer of high quality men’s and women’s shoes and accessories, and subsidiary of Nike, Inc. At Cole Haan, Rubel led a multi-year turnaround,[8] and guided the company into a new era by re-energizing the brand and creating a strong global presence. During his time with Cole Haan, the company doubled in size and expanded its global footprint, positioning the company as a leading fashion brand.
His extensive merchandising and retailing background includes serving as Executive Vice President, J. Crew Group and CEO of Popular Club Plan from 1994 to 1999. In November 1998, he led the sale of Popular from J. Crew to Fingerhut, the largest independent direct marketer in the United States. While at J. Crew, Rubel handled all licensing and international, as well as brand marketing. He also served on the Group Executive Committee.
Rubel has led a number of other top brands. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Pepe Jeans, USA and managed Revlon Inc.’s prestige cosmetic brands as President of the Specialty Store Division. Prior to Revlon, Rubel was Executive Vice President of Murjani International Ltd., where he was in charge of all Tommy Hilfiger businesses. Rubel started his career at Bonwit Teller in New York after earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in 1979. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami, FL in 1980.
Rubel is active in several industry and civic organizations, including the Jay H. Baker Initiative at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Young Presidents' Organization; President’s Council - University of Miami, Florida; Chairman of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America; and a member of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Board of Governing Trustees and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Board of Trustees.