Greg Dutter

4 weeks ago | footwearplusmagazine.com | Greg Dutter

Alegria made its the debut in 2008—smack dab in the middle of the Financial Crisis. That markets meltdown ushered in the Great Recession, the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression. It was tough enough for established brands to stay afloat, let alone a clogs startup run by a small, family-owned company, Pepper Gate Footwear, based just outside of Los Angeles. Yet, over the ensuing 17 years, Alegria not only survived but thrived.

1 month ago | bthechange.com | Greg Dutter

Dansko Founders Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup are embarking on another all-sides-benefit business model. By Greg Dutter, Footwear Plus magazineThere are entrepreneurswho launch amazing businesses with great products, teams, marketing, logistics, and profit structures that can sustain a company for decades. Then there’s the dynamic duo of Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup, who go the extra mile by mixing in a “do the right thing” approach across product, people, and planet.

2 months ago | mr-mag.com | Greg Dutter

Retail runs in Murry Penner’s blood. The co-owner and CEO of M Penner comes from a line of Texas entrepreneurs. His mother’s family owned a group of East Texas stores named Hurwitz Man Shop, while his paternal grandfather and great-uncles started San Antonio shops, Penner’s, in 1916, and Todd’s in 1933. In 1974, Murry’s father, Morris Penner, opened M Penner, a luxury specialty store in Houston. Murry didn’t join the family business right away. His career began at Macy’s in New York.

Mar 6, 2024 | footwearplusmagazine.com | Greg Dutter

Soles4Souls is saddened to announce the death of Robert Adams-Ghee, the industry charity’s chief financial and administrative officer. He passed away on Mar. 5, following a sudden illness. “Robert was an incredible CFO for Soles4Souls,” states Soles4Souls President and CEO Buddy Teaster. “Not only did he bring the financial discipline we needed almost eight years ago, he led just as much with his heart. The work we do really mattered to him, in a personal and visceral way.

Sep 18, 2023 | footwearplusmagazine.com | Greg Dutter

The first of many firsts…Designer Brands Inc. unveiled the inaugural shoe from the JEMS by Pensole brand, marking the first style to roll off the assembly line at one of the first Black-owned footwear factories in the U.S. Based in Somersworth, NH, the factory opened earlier this year as part of a partnership between Designer Brands and JEMS by Pensole focused on creating opportunity for underrepresented Black designers in the footwear industry.